Autumn Days
by Seigi-san
Summary: What would happen if you found the girl of your dreams....without you even knowing you'd been looking for her? All done now, since the birthday seemed a good place to end it. MXM, AU
1. Chapter 1

The woman sighed, placing her hands on her hips and regarding the young man sitting at her table with an affectionate scowl before placing the plate of hot food before him. "You know, you can't keep coming over for dinner all the time. How long have you been living in that apartment now? Four, five years? And almost every week you're here. Not that I mind, but..."

"I know," he replied softly, staring at the plate. "But.." He could cook very well for himself - she had made sure of that - and did so most nights...but that didn't do much to ease the loneliness. The woman watching knew that very well, and had often admonished him to do something about it, as she did now.

"For heaven's sake, Mwu. How many times have I told you? You need to find yourself a nice girl." Wiping her hands on the apron she wore, Grace turned back to the stove. "And I don't mean the kind of girls you find in those clubs. I mean a nice, straightforward girl who can take care of you.."

Mwu made a face. He'd had a few relationships, but none that had lasted longer than a couple of weeks. The relationships had never been about love, more about companionship...he wasn't sure if he'd ever meet anyone he could love. _Maybe I'm scared of it. I saw what Dad did to Mom - the way he treated her - I don't think he ever loved her, and I know I didn't love him. Instead of being sad when he died...I was relieved. But I don't know if I'll be able to love someone myself because of that..._

"I have you." he said finally, twirling spaghetti around his fork.

Grace watched him with fond exasperation. She knew perfectly well what he was thinking, and while she was able to understand it, it saddened her. She knew her son would never turn out like his father - what she wanted most was for _him_ to see that. _As soon as he meets that one girl, his life will change completely... _"That's true, but you still need someone to keep you company. In fact, I have an idea about that. You have time off now, don't you? Will you pick me up from work tomorrow?"

"Uhhhh...sure, but..."

"Good." Smiling, she turned off the stove before sitting down opposite her son. And despite his continued questioning, not a word would she say about her idea.

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"Mom..." Palming his face, he shook his head. _This_ had been her idea? Beside him, she smiled sweetly.

"This is exactly what you need. Company, fun, and someone to drag you out of bed. Come on." All around them were pens, and staring out of each pen - a pair of hopeful eyes, each saying 'take me home'. Mwu sighed. He understood what she was trying to do, but still...he didn't need it. Not a girlfriend, not a dog - he was better off alone. Walking to the end of the corridor, he slumped against the wall, ignoring the sounds around him as best he could.

Until a pair of melting brown eyes caught his attention. Standing in the pen closest to him, staring up at him, was a black and white dog. And despite himself, he smiled, kneeling down beside the pen. "Hey there..." The little creature whined, wagging it's tail so fast it was almost a blur, and Mwu chuckled. "Hasn't anyone taken you home yet?"

The rescue shelter worker who had been talking with Grace noticed, and came over to kneel beside him, smiling at the dog's interest. "Most people here for a rescue dog are more interested in puppies, or special cases. Ruby's just over a year old. She was found tied to a lamppost. She's a lovely dog, really sweet and trusting and already housebroken, but people just tend to pass her by.."

"Can I take her?" he found himself saying. "I usually work nights, but right now I have two weeks off. Is that enough time to get her settled in?"

Which is how, after a lightning visit to the nearest pet shop, he found himself sitting on the sofa in his apartment...with a dog asleep on his lap. The minute he had gotten her here, Ruby had wagged her tail and curled up on the rug quite happily, as if she knew she were home now, and he hadn't been able to help smiling. _Mom was right, I guess...and I'll never hear the end of it..._

"Think she'll give me that smile next time I see her?" Ruby answered with a sleepy whine, wagging her tail a little before dozing off again. "Yeah, I think so too."

The next day, he was woken early by a paw in the midriff, followed by a wet nose in the ear. "Oi, oi...no fair. C'mon, let me sleep..." Ruby's answer was to snuffle in his ear again. She clearly wasn't about to give up any time soon, not even when he opened one blue eye to stare at her. "So this is what she meant about someone dragging me out of bed? What do you want first, a walk, or breakfast?"

Ruby barked, wagging her tail, and Mwu glanced to the side to look through a gap in the curtains. Although it was mid-autumn right now, the day was bright, sun shining from a cloudless blue sky. Working nights as he did, he didn't often get to see days like this...and it _had_ been a long time since he'd been to the park. With a rueful grin at the realisation that his mother's plan was working, he reached out to ruffle the dog's fur before climbing out of bed with a colossal sigh. "C'mon then..."

_I think Mom had a private chat with Ruby, _he thought later, watching the little dog cannon through a pile of leaves. _She never stopped telling me I needed to get out of the apartment more..._ He'd tried to argue with her, citing his night shift at the local fire station, but Grace had had an answer for that. She'd remarked that it was a good excuse, but that he'd most likely taken that shift to avoid people (which had been more true than he'd wanted to admit).

"Can't win against her, can I?" he asked Ruby. The little dog barked as if in answer before running off, so fast he had trouble keeping hold of her lead. "Hey! Not so fast! Where are you off to?" Running after the dog, leaves crunching beneath his boots, he laughed despite his annoyance. He felt happier than he had in years...was it really just because of Ruby? Up ahead, the dog came to a stop just before a clearing, wagging her tail. "What is it?" Almost breathless, he placed a hand on a tree to steady himself, then looked up.

Only to lose what remaining breath he had left.

Sitting on a bench in the middle of a clearing...was a girl. Absorbed in the book she held, she didn't seem to notice Mwu - who was staring in fascination. She'd evidently been there a long time, as fallen leaves clung here and there to her jacket and the red hat she wore. Her hair was tucked up under the hat, but locks of dark chestnut had escaped to frame her pale face, and as he watched, she smiled a little, perhaps at a passage in her book.

"Would you look at that.." he breathed, not raising his voice lest he disturb her and break the spell. 'Pretty' didn't even come close - she was beautiful, like no-one he'd ever seen, and he could hardly take his eyes off her. Managing to glance down at Ruby, he grinned. "You think so too?"

The dog's answer was to wag her tail again...before taking off toward the girl so fast he lost hold of her lead. "Hey! Ruby! Dammit, come back here!" Hearing his shout, the girl looked up - and was promptly jumped on by the little collie, who began licking her face frantically.

"Oh!"

"Uhhh...sorry.." Sheepishly, not able to look the beautiful girl in the eye, he rubbed the back of his neck. "She slipped her lead, and ran off...sorry.."

The girl studied him for a moment, then Ruby, who barked and wagged her tail again, then shook her head. "And the fact that you've been watching me for the past five minutes had nothing to do with that?"

Mwu blinked. _She knew I was watching her? _"Uhhh..."

The girl laughed. The sound was gentle and soft, and despite his shyness he glanced up. She was looking right at him, still smiling. "As pickup lines go, that one wasn't so bad, I guess..."

"I wasn't..."

"Then what _were_ you doing?"

He opened his mouth to try and come up with an answer...then closed it as he realised it wouldn't work. She'd seen right through him. "Sorry.."

"That's okay. Your dog makes a pretty cute excuse.." She petted Ruby, giggling when the little dog licked her face again. Smiling himself, he edged close to sit on the bench beside her.

"I really am sorry about her running off like that. Is there any way I can make it up to you?"

She thought about it for a moment, one slim hand still ruffling Ruby's fur, then smiled. "A coffee might be nice. It's pretty chilly out here..."

Mwu grinned. "Coffee it is. Shall we be going then, Miss..."

"Murrue. Murrue Ramius."

"Mwu La Fllaga." Getting up, he took hold of Ruby's lead. "Nice to meet you, Murrue."

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( :sighs: No excuse whatsoever. But there you go, I just liked the idea of shy Mwu :D

please read and review! )


	2. Chapter 2

( Mwu may have been a tad OOC in the first chapter, but I always got the impression he was rather scared of love (not that he'd ever have admitted it). He didn't exactly have a good role model, poor fella. But now he's met our heroine, he will become more like the lovable idiot we know so well :smiles: )

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Sipping her coffee, she peeked over the rim of the cup at the man sitting opposite. He was concentrating very hard on the chocolate-chip muffin in front of him, and she had to fight hard to keep the smile off her face. But since he wasn't looking at her, it gave her the opportunity to look at him as much as she wanted. She'd known he'd been watching her back in the park - he wasn't the kind of guy who could hide himself that well - and she'd been pleasantly surprised that he hadn't tried some artless pickup line on her. Most times she took her book to the park, she was interrupted by at least one overconfident jogger or cyclist. But _him_...

_I know he didn't let his dog go on purpose...I didn't even realise I was teasing him until he tried to defend himself. It's not something I'd do with someone I just met. But __**he's**__ different somehow..._

"I go to the park most days," she began softly, smiling as he looked up. _He has amazing eyes... _"But I've never seen you there before. Are you new around here?"

"No, I've always lived round here - my apartment's only ten minutes away. I work nights, so most mornings like this I'd be asleep.."

Murrue nodded thoughfully. "Even with a dog?"

"I just got her yesterday," he admitted. "From the rescue shelter. I sort of got tricked into it. People - well, my mom - said I needed a companion.."

She tried to hide another smile, but couldn't quite manage it. "You don't have a girlfriend?"

A sheepish smile. "Not right now.."

She nodded, taking another sip of her coffee. "Well, as companions go, Ruby's pretty cute."

Another smile, this time genuine - and the expression made him so handsome she had to hide her face behind her mug, knowing how red she must have gone. _Wow... _Why was she reacting this way to someone she'd only met half-an-hour ago? Sure, he was good-looking (_very_ good-looking), but still..

"What about you?" he asked around a mouthful of muffin. "What brings you to the park?"

"Lunch break. I get an hour and a half, and I nearly always spend it there, unless it's raining. It's nice to have some peace and quiet.." At his quizzical look, she smiled. "I'm a kindergarten teacher."

Mwu nodded, beaming. "I kinda thought you would be. It suits you."

Blushing again, she looked down at the table top, embarrassed - but at the same time delighted. "W-well, I work there, and go to the park for lunch. Home's about a mile away.." Looking out of the window, she smiled to see Ruby sitting outside, being fussed over and petted by passers-by. "Maybe I could use a companion too.."

"You don't have anyone?" He sounded genuinely surprised, and she had to fight hard to not wish for a note of hope in his voice. Not trusting herself to speak, she shook her head.

"Aren't you lonely?"

"Huh?" Glancing back up at him, she caught a trace of sadness in his smile. "Yeah...I guess I am.." _And you are too, aren't you? Even with Ruby..._"I have my friends though."

He nodded quietly, picking up his coffee. It wasn't what he'd meant, and she knew it. Not loneliness for friends...but loneliness for one person. _And I'd be lying if I said I never thought about it. But I never met the right person._

Until now.

_Slow down there, _she scolded herself. _You hardly know anything about this man... _But she wanted very badly to find out more. With a soft sigh, Murrue gazed into her cooling drink. She'd never met anyone like him before, at least, no-one who had made her feel this way.

"Are you okay?" Hearing the worried tone to his voice, she looked up. He was watching her carefully, azure eyes full of concern. Managing a smile, though she had a feeling it wouldn't fool him for a moment, she nodded.

"Do you want to do this again tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow?"

He nodded cheerfully, his smile so infectious she couldn't help returning it. "I have two weeks off work, and I'm pretty sure Ruby would like a walk in the park every morning, If you like...we can do this again.."

"I'd like that very much." His smile became wider, if that were possible, and she felt herself blush again. With a little smile, she looked down shyly...then caught sight of her watch. "Dammit!"

"Huh?"

"I have to get going..." Mwu's face fell slightly, but he nodded. "I'll be there tomorrow. In the park."

"Is the school far away?"

"The school? No, why?"

He grinned. "I'll walk you there. I'm sure Ruby won't mind. What do you say?"

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"Okay, spill it. Who was _that_?"

She smiled demurely, continuing to tack up coloured paper on the classroom display board. "Who was who?"

Her colleague (and rather nosy best friend) leaned against the doorframe and regarded her with a raised eyebrow. "Don't play games, Murrue. Who was that studmuffin I saw you with?"

Murrue smiled again. Mwu had walked her here from the cafe, his sunny smile and chatter making the fifteen-minute journey seem like nothing. During their walk, they'd learned more about each other, ages, jobs, lifestyles... "His name is Mwu. I met him in the park on my lunch break.."

Erica grinned. "Details, please."

"He lives on West Street, he's twenty-eight, and he's a fireman."

"And you met someone like that in the park? You lucky girl.." The older woman whistled in approval. "Will you be seeing him again?"

"Tomorrow." She fought hard to keep the excitement out of her voice, but knew her friend would hear it. "He says he'll be there waiting.."

Erica beamed, pleased for her. She cared about Murrue, and had often hoped the younger woman would find someone. That young man...well, from what she could see, he looked perfect.

"Be careful, okay?"

"I will."

"Wow..."

Lying on the sofa, he stared at the ceiling of his apartment, with what he was sure must be an idiot's grin plastered across his face. Had it really only been an hour and a half since he'd met her? _It feels like I've known her forever. Like something just clicked... _Glancing over at Ruby, his grin widened. "I owe you. Boy, do I owe you. How did you know she was there?"

The little dog barked happily, wagging her tail so hard it was almost a blur. She was clearly very proud of herself. Mwu chuckled, patting the sofa beside him. "C'mon girl. You can come sit here.." Ruby didn't hesitate, jumping clear onto the furniture to lick his face before flopping down with her head on his chest, her tail thumping on the sofa as he ruffled her fur.

"You like her too, huh? She says she'll be there tomorrow. You want to wait for her?" The thumping increased, and he laughed. _She was something, all right. I could have looked for years and never found anyone like her - and she was there right in front of me._

"I don't think I'm going to hear the end of this..."

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( Hee :smiles: that was fun. Was it a nice date?

please read and review! )


	3. Chapter 3

He was there waiting for her, just as she'd known he would be. He sat on the bench where she'd first met him, azure eyes trained on the mirroring blue of the sky, and didn't notice her right away - which gave her the perfect opportunity to watch him for a little. He looked to be enjoying the feel of the wind and sun, and she smiled happily at how content he seemed. _He loves the sun, loves the warmth - and the way it reflects off his hair and eyes makes him look even better..._

Shaking her head, Murrue sighed at herself. It had been just five days since she'd met him...and here she was thinking like that? No doubt he was handsome, but that was no excuse to start acting like a schoolgirl. Even if she felt - how _did_ she feel about him? _I..._

Before she could finish that thought, the dog sitting by his side suddenly barked, wagging her tail before taking off like a shot toward where the watcher was standing. The young woman giggled, kneeling down to fuss over the little animal. "Hello you. I can never hide for very long with you around, can I?" Ruby's answer was to lick her face so vigourously that Murrue toppled over onto the grass, still laughing. "C'mon now, let me get up!"

"Here.." Looking up, she saw him crouched beside her, grinning widely. He held out a hand to her, which she gratefully took, letting him help her to her feet. "Ruby does tend to lick people to death. She flattened my mom the other day too. And the postman.."

Murrue giggled. "Not much of a guard dog, then.."

"She'd protect you," he said softly. "I know she would..."

Blushing for a reason she couldn't explain, the young woman looked away, wishing her heart would stop racing...and yet at the same time, wishing it wouldn't. Perhaps noticing her embarrassment, Mwu smiled a little before picking up the trailing end of Ruby's lead. "What do you want for lunch today?"

"You always buy me lunch," she pointed out, taking deep breaths to clear her rather fuzzy mind. "Why don't I buy _you_ something for a change? What would you like?"

He blinked. "Uhhh..."

With a sigh, she shook her head. "Come on, let's go and see.." They'd gotten to the park entrance and were almost out on the street when they realised simultaneously that they were still holding hands. Mwu managed a nervous laugh, and made as if to let go...but to his obvious surprise, she curled her fingers around his, giving him a shy smile. He grinned in return, squeezing her hand gently, and they set off down the street together, Ruby trotting alongside. They passed several cafes and snack bars, but none that really caught his interest...he seemed happier to just walk with her. Eventually, Murrue turned to him with a faint smile. "Are you even hungry?"

He had the grace to look sheepish. "Kinda yeah. I guess I was just enjoying this too much.."

She giggled. In truth, it had been the same for her. She looked forward to nothing as much as this time with him, and it always seemed too short. Not for the first time, she wished she didn't have to go back to work. _I wish I could stay with him... _

He found himself watching her while they walked. (hopefully without her noticing) She wore her hair up today, and although he preferred it down, he had to admit it looked great. Those beautiful eyes of hers were full of smiles, an answering smile to her lips...and it almost took his breath away. _She's perfect... _Squeezing her hand a little tighter, he grinned when she glanced up at him, inwardly delighted when she blushed and looked away. He'd thought of little else but her since they had met, and it hadn't taken him long to realise that he was in love with her.

_I've never met anyone like her before, and I'm sure I never will again. She's everything I ever wanted...and I didn't even know I wanted it._

"There," he said, pointing just ahead. Murrue glanced up...and her smile widened.

"Fish and chips? I haven't had that in a while.."

"I thought we could take it back to the park. That sound okay?"

She nodded cheerfully, taking Ruby's lead and kneeling to fuss over the little dog, who placed her paws on the young woman's lap and snuffled at her, tail a blur. Chuckling softly, amused and pleased by how attached the two were to each other, Mwu went to buy dinner. Fish and chips may not exactly be romantic, yet somehow, for the two of them, it seemed just right.

"Ow!"

Amber eyes wide, she fanned the air before her mouth rapidly, looking so funny he couldn't help laughing. "Yeah, sorry. They'd just finished frying that when I walked in.."

Murrue scowled and punched him on the arm. "You could have _warned _me!" Taking a deep breath and blinking her eyes to clear the tears, she sighed, slumping back against the bench. "Now I've burned my tongue.."

"Sorry.." he murmured apologetically, and she swatted him again.

"Why apologise for something that wasn't your fault?" Blowing on a chip to cool it down, she popped it into her mouth to chew it gingerly before feeding another to Ruby, who had been watching the pair hopefully ever since they'd begun to eat. "Now don't beg again, okay? These are bad for you.."

"Do you...have to go back soon?" He tried not to let the disappointment he was feeling echo in his voice, but knew he had failed as soon as he saw her expression. Managing a small smile, he looked down at his half-eaten lunch. The time spent with her was precious due to how short it was, and both he and Ruby missed her while she was gone. She didn't answer, but bit her lip and looked away - which told him all he needed to know. He knew she loved her job, her face would light up in that stunning smile whenever she talked about the children she taught, but he couldn't quite stop wishing he could just keep her with him. To spend more than just an hour and a half with her.

"What about after work?"

Surprised at her gentle question, Mwu glanced up to see her smiling. "Hmm?"

"After work," she repeated. "Tonight. Why don't we go somewhere? Out for dinner, or to a movie or something?"

He grinned, spirits lifting instantly. "Are you asking me out?"

To his delight, she blushed, staring at her lap. "I...I guess.. We could meet here later on tonight, maybe around six. Does that...sound all right?"

"That sounds great." _Better than great._

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The park looked very different at night. The darkness of evening was kept at bay by the soft white glow of lamps dotted around, and though it was cold, it was beautiful. The sky was perfectly clear, showing the lights of the moon and stars, and for a moment she forgot why she was there. Leaning back on the bench to see the view better, she smiled. How long had it been since she had just let herself sit and watch this? _I'd always take time to stargaze. Wonder what was out there, and whether someone was looking back at me..._

"Hey, dreamer.." The familiar voice caused her smile to grow. He was there, leaning on a lamp post, watching her with a lopsided grin. Blonde curls peeked out from under the wool cap he wore, and his nose was cherry red from the cold. "Star-watching?"

She nodded and shuffled up to let him sit beside her, pointing up at one of the constellations. "Pegasus. I spent a lot of time stargazing when I was little - I still have the picture book I used to learn all the constellations.."

"Can you show me?"

Which is how the two of them spent an hour sitting on their bench, she pointing upwards to show him the stars and the various patterns they made in the sky. Her head rested on his shoulder, his arm was around her waist, but neither noticed, or would have cared if they did. His closeness and warmth were a comfort she hadn't experienced in a long time, and caused a warm feeling in her heart. Without realising, she snuggled closer with a contented sigh.

"Was this the date you had in mind?"

She smiled, but didn't answer. No, it hadn't been, but somehow this was better. And Mwu seemed to understand. His fingers curled in her hair, tangling around the auburn strands, and she closed her eyes at the gentle touch. And when he leaned close to brush his lips lightly against hers, she didn't resist. _This has been waiting to happen... _The ends of her fingers tingling from the effects of the kiss, she blinked up at him. He was smiling gently, blue eyes twinkling...and she just kissed him again, thin arms winding around his neck to bring him closer.

No, it hadn't been a date in the traditional sense of the word - but when it ended this well, who cared?

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( Yay! Their date! Well, sort of lol. I thought it might be better this way.

please read and review! )


	4. Chapter 4

The rain fell steadily. From where she was standing, protected by the overhanging branches of a tree, she watched the weather glumly. She'd rushed out from school late for her lunch break, and had run all the way here, hoping he would be here waiting. But the clearing had been empty and silent, not even the happy barks of Ruby there to welcome her. And no matter how long she waited, he didn't turn up. Smiling a little, she held out her hand to collect raindrops. _The weather matches how I feel. I look forward so much to seeing him - I never thought about what would happen if he wasn't here..._

But he wasn't. And given that half-an-hour had passed since she'd arrived, it was likely that he wouldn't be. Closing her eyes, Murrue leaned back against the tree, trying to control her disappointment. "And I had the afternoon off.." she murmured to herself. _I hoped we could have spent it together..._

"Are you all right?"

Blinking back the mist in her eyes, she glanced up to see a woman standing in the entrance to the clearing. She was unfamiliar, a tall, beautiful woman of around fifty, with kind eyes and a gentle smile. "You'll catch cold standing out here like that.."

"What? Oh, I'm all right.." Brushing the rainwater from her face, Murrue smiled. "Thank you."

The woman nodded, and looked down by her side. "My friend here seems to know you.."

"Huh?"

The next she knew, a thoroughly soaked through mass of black and white fur had thrown itself at her, regarding her with wide brown eyes and a lolling tongue. "Ruby?" The little dog whined in delight, wagging her tail so hard her whole back end was moving, more so when Murrue stroked her. "I didn't think I'd see you today.."

"So you do know her? I thought she seemed eager to get here.." The woman smiled, tapping Ruby on the head. "And now I see why Mwu told me to take her to the park. It's nice to meet you."

The younger woman pinked and looked at the ground, wondering how Mwu knew this woman, and how she seemed to understand Murrue's relationship with him. She seemed nice, and the fact that Ruby evidently knew and liked her counted for a lot. "Who are you?"

The woman smiled. "My name is Grace La Fllaga. I'm Mwu's mother. He wanted very badly to come out here today, but he has to work tonight. I think that's why he asked me to bring Ruby to the park..."

"So I wouldn't worry," Murrue replied softly, smiling a little. _That sounds like him..._ Grace nodded and moved to stand beside her, sheltering them both with her umbrella as the rain still fell. Her friendly nature made it seem as though she'd known her for years - just like Mwu. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, dear," Grace replied. "I'm glad I was able to meet you. I see now why he likes you so much.."

"He...told you?" Red to the roots of her hair, she closed her eyes. _What has he been saying? How many people has he told?_

"No, he didn't. It's not something he'd talk about. But I figured there had to be _some_ reason why he was so eager to come to the park every day besides to just walk Ruby, and why he seems so happy now."

The young woman blushed, and Grace beamed happily. She'd been able to tell when he'd come for dinner last Sunday that something was different about her son. He'd been smiling from ear-to-ear, full of a life she hadn't seen in him in years, but had declined to answer why he looked so happy. _I knew then that he'd met someone. When he asked me if I could walk Ruby today, I wondered if I'd meet them...this person that had stolen his heart... _And she wasn't disappointed. This young woman was beautiful, quiet, and given the way she fussed and petted Ruby, she clearly had a gentle nature. All in all, she seemed perfect. "Can you tell me a little about yourself? What's your name? He hasn't told me anything about you.."

A little smile. "My name's Murrue. I'm a teacher. I met Mwu about two weeks ago here in the park when he first came to walk Ruby.." She didn't say anything further, but the way her smile became shy, and the tint to her cheeks as she fiddled with a lock of auburn hair, made Grace believe that young Murrue felt for Mwu what he felt for her. _It might not be love yet, but there's definitely a connection. They're just right for each other.._

"I have to go back now," she announced, smiling as Murrue glanced up. "I left dinner cooking, and it'll be done by now. It was very nice to meet you." Seeing it had stopped raining, she closed the umbrella, shaking the water droplets from it. "Can you take Ruby back home for me? Don't worry, she knows the way. Here;" She handed a key to the surprised girl. "Thanks." Before Murrue could protest, Grace walked away, stifling laughter. _He wanted to see her, and she wants to see him. This way, they can get their wish..._

"That was interesting..."

Ruby ruffed a little as though agreeing, looking up at Murrue with trusting brown eyes. She smiled, bending down to pat the dog. "Well, Mrs. La Fllaga did say you knew the way home. Can you show me?"

Ruby barked, wagging her tail, and together the two walked out of the park and along a quiet side street. It was peaceful, the silence interrupted only by the barking of other dogs, or the sounds of children playing, much like her own street. Turning a corner, Ruby led her to a small apartment block. The outlines of the building were softened by trees, their branches almost bare save for a few yellow and red leaves, but the effect was still pretty. Smiling, Murrue brushed back a lock of damp hair from her face. This place, although she had never seen it before, felt comforting and familiar to her. "Is this home?"

Ruby wagged her tail, trotting forward a little way before looking up at the woman as though to say 'Well, come on then'. In answer, she laughed, letting the collie pull her towards the apartments, feeling much happier than she had an hour ago. _This is where he lives. I might not be able to see him today, but I could make surprise visits... _That thought caused a giggle, especially at the thought of Mwu's expression when he answered the door to find her there.

The apartment, number 6, was warm and inviting. It was a little messy, certainly, strewn with clothing and chewed-up dog toys, but that was to be expected, surely, from a man who lived by himself? It didn't detract from the overall feel of the place, in fact, it added to it. "It feels like home.." she murmured, glancing down when Ruby licked her hand. "What is it?

The dog's answer was to lead her into the tiny kitchen where she pawed at a cupboard. "You're hungry, huh? Okay then, let's take a look.."

After setting Ruby to work on a bowl of meat and biscuits, Murrue began to explore the apartment. Sitting room, kitchen, bathroom, all untidy, but clean and well cared for. She resisted the urge to tidy up - this wasn't her house after all - and instead sat down on the sofa. Eventually though, curiosity (and a certain amount of loneliness) drew her towards a closed door...most likely his bedroom. _Just a peek. I won't go inside, or disturb him...just to look, then I'll leave..._

The door squeaked as it opened, causing a wince, but the one in the bed never stirred. The covers were rumpled and piled around the sleeping form, and a rather badly ironed firefighter's uniform hung from the closet door. Despite her own instructions, she found herself creeping into the room, smiling as he came into view. He was half-hidden by the blankets, part of his face and a mound of golden hair all that was visible.

"I missed you today.." she murmured. "I didn't expect that to happen."

_His mom knew I wanted to see him - that I missed him, even without me saying anything. I'm so used to spending time with him now... _Sitting down on a chair beside the bed, Murrue carefully moved aside the blankets. Mwu was smiling in his sleep, the expression so childlike and innocent it gave her a warm feeling in her chest, and without thinking she brushed away some stray curls of hair from his forehead. She'd watch him for a while, she decided. Just for a little, then she'd leave him in peace...

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He didn't know what had woken him. Still with eyes closed, curled in the warmth of the blankets, he smiled without really knowing why. Something felt different...comforting, for some reason. Stretching out, he yawned widely before prying open azure eyes - only to blink in surprise and rub his eyes, not sure he had really seen what he'd thought he'd seen. "Murrue?" _Am I dreaming? _She was sitting on the chair next to his bed, dressed simply in jeans and a T-shirt, and wore a sheepish smile. "How did you get here?"

"I met your mother in the park. She lent me her key, and asked me to bring Ruby back here..."

Mwu made a face. No wonder his mom had so readily agreed to walk the dog. _She knew there was a reason I always looked forward to going to the park - she wanted to meet that reason, and now she has... _Evidently she had liked Murrue, she wouldn't have trusted her with her key otherwise... "I figured she'd do something like that."

Murrue smiled. "She knew I wanted to see you."

"You wanted to see me?" Delighted, he grinned, especially when she blushed and nodded. "I wanted to see you too. I got so mad when they told me I had to work tonight. That's why I asked Mom to take Ruby today...then at least if you saw she was okay, you wouldn't worry."

She raised an eyebrow. "What makes you think I was worried?" But her cheeks retained a pink glow, which gave her feelings away rather, and she glanced down at her lap. He chuckled and sat up, reaching to squeeze her hand. _I'd be worried. If I'd gotten to the park...and she wasn't there, I'd be worried... _

"How long have you been here?"

She looked up, reddening still further at the sight of his bare chest. "A couple of hours, maybe..."

_Has she been sitting here all that time? Watching me sleep? _The thought was a nice one - a very nice one.

"Thanks for keeping an eye on me.." Before she could react, he leaned forward and kissed her gently before hopping out of bed and grabbing a pair of well-worn jeans from the back of the chair. Now he would repay her. "You hungry?"

"Huh?"

Whisking up the powder mix, he added it to the pot of sliced chicken and vegetables, whistling to himself. It was all planned. Chicken casserole, teamed with buttery mashed potatoes mixed with chopped spring onions. Perfect. Angling a look round the kitchen door, he grinned. She was sitting curled up on the sofa, Ruby's head in her lap, and the mug of hot tea he'd made for her cradled in her hands. He could hear her soft murmur as she talked to the dog, and the steady thump of Ruby's tail as it hit the sofa. _It feels like she belongs here. Like this is her home... _Putting the casserole dish in the oven, he wandered back into the sitting room, leaning over the back of the sofa and kissing the crown of her hair.

"Hmmm?" He chuckled before making his way over to the mirror across the room to rearrange his sleep-ruffled hair. As he did so, he watched her in the mirror - and felt a surge of ego and pride. She was watching him, amber eyes straying over him with the faintest smile on her face. What sane man wouldn't like knowing someone so beautiful was interested in them? _I won't let her know I've seen her watching. Not yet, anyway..._

"Dinner should be about an hour or so. Want to watch some TV?"

They ended up watching a re-run of an old crime drama, she snuggled happily into the crook of his arm as they ate dinner together. He found himself breathing in her scent, the fragrance of roses and lavender that always clung to her, and did his best to keep from stroking her hair. He did love her, a little more each day, but didn't want her to think things were going too quickly.

_I really don't want to go to work. I'd give anything to be able to stay like this with her... _

"Thanks for coming over. This is nicer than being at the park.."

Murrue murmured something contentedly and cuddled a little closer. Her head was resting on his shoulder, dark eyes closed...she was almost asleep. Not that he minded. The sky was darkening, the sitting room was dim and comfortably warm - he could stay here forever with her by his side.

_Please let time go slower. Let me be able to stay here like this..._

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( Snuggles ftw :smiles:

please read and review! )


	5. Chapter 5

"You sure do look happy these days..."

The young woman didn't answer, but smiled, continuing to staple her pupils' work to the wall. She knew that her silence frustrated her friend, especially when the other woman badly wanted to know all the details. Yes, she _was_ happy, very happy in fact, but she preferred to keep it to herself. "Do I?"

Erica sighed, leaning against the doorframe. "C'mon honey, throw me a bone here. Are you still seeing the studmuffin fireman?" The younger woman nodded, still smiling, and Erica beamed. "I take it things are going well?"

Another nod. _Oh yeah, they're going well... _She and Mwu saw each other most nights, she usually going over to his apartment for a couple of hours after work. Not being able to see him at lunch anymore did make the day seem longer, and made the brief time they were able to spend together feel that much shorter, but the fact that she _was_ still able to see him made it worth it. _I'm in love with him, I know that now. It happened without me realising it. All I did was imagine his smile...and my heart just started racing... _They'd known each other only six weeks, but that didn't seem to matter to either of them. In that short time they'd grown steadily closer, she comfortable enough in his presence now to snuggle up to him and let him stroke her hair, and even to fall asleep in his arms.

Erica studied her friend, another smile coming to her lips at the flush to Murrue's cheeks. It had been a long time since she'd seen her so happy - this new relationship was obviously working out well for her. _It makes her prettier. A lot of people have commented on how much she smiles now... _"Are you seeing him tonight?"

The younger woman smiled happily, which gave her friend all the answers she needed. "Well then, you get going, and I'll finish up here."

"Really?"

"Yes, really. Now go on. I'll see you Monday."

Throwing on her thick coat and hat, she grabbed her bag and dashed out of the door, knowing she was grinning like an idiot, but not much caring. Normally it would have been at least another hour before she finished work, and the extra time was more than welcome. Running up the school driveway...she stopped short to see someone standing there. "Huh?"

He was grinning from ear-to-ear, the twinkle to azure eyes easy to see even in the dark, and as she stared dumbfounded, he just chuckled. "Are you _that_ surprised to see me?"

Shaking her head, Murrue smiled. "Normally I wouldn't be done for another hour. Would you really have waited all that time?"

"Sure I would." Lifting her by the waist, he spun her around in the air, laughing at her shrieks of delight. Mwu had changed in the short time since she'd met him, his quiet, almost shy nature becoming happy and affectionate. Grace had also seen it, and remarked cheerfully that it had been because of Murrue. _"Ruby helped, but what really changed him was meeting you.."_

"It was a nice surprise," she murmured, blushing to her ears at his huge smile. "You can put me down now.."

Rather reluctantly, he did as she asked, before wrapping her up in a tight hug and kissing her gently. "I made dinner. You want to come over for a while?" Her reply was another kiss, she standing on her tiptoes to brush her nose to his. He grinned, taking her hand and twining his fingers with hers, and together they walked away along the darkened street.

She watched him as they walked, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. He'd obviously been out here quite a while - his cheeks and the tip of his nose were a bright cherry red, though his hat was pulled low over his ears. His hand that held hers was freezing. With a sigh, Murrue stopped walking, and took his hands between both her small mittened ones, rubbing them gently to warm them up.

"What possessed you to come out here without gloves on?"

He managed a sheepish smile, and a shrug. Murrue shook her head with an affectionate smile and kissed his fingers. "Silly. Come on..."

Taking a deep breath to clear his head, he carried on walking, his hand held tightly in hers. His face, in comparison to the cold of the rest of his body, felt burning hot. All she had done was kiss his fingers, but that simple touch had sent fireworks through him, and he was rather glad of the cold air tonight... _She's having more of an effect on me now. When she's with me, I never want her to leave. Just to put my arms around her and keep her with me... _Glancing down at his girlfriend, he smiled. The bitter cold of the evening had made her nose go red, but it did nothing to detract from her beauty - in fact it added to it. "Want to take a shortcut through the park?"

The place was quiet this time of the evening, the only sounds the rush of water in the pond out of sight and the distant hoot of an owl. The moon competed with the lamps to give the most light, and all in all, it was kind of romantic. Murrue smiled, huddling closer to him as he wound an arm around her waist. Although they were almost at his apartment, where warmth, dinner and Ruby waited, they slowed down and eventually stopped.

"We always end up here.." she observed softly, closing her eyes as he caressed the back of her neck gently. True enough. They'd met here, dated here - somehow every path they took led them back here. _This place is special, and it probably always will be..._ Mwu smiled as she leaned closer to him and rested her forehead against his chest, snuggling a little closer when he wrapped his arms around her in a hug. The moment was perfect. He wanted more than anything to tell her he loved her...but the words wouldn't come. All he could do was hold her.

"Do you mind?"

He felt her laugh. "Not at all."

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The next night found him standing on a quiet street in an eastern suburb of the city, staring down at an address scribbled on a piece of paper. She'd given him this the night before, had written it using paper from her pocket while curled up on the sofa beside him. _"I always come over here...why don't you come over to my house for dinner tomorrow? This is my address..."_

And so he was here, holding the paper she'd given him. Number 32... Squinting at the neat writing, then up at the house in front of him, he smiled. Just as he'd imagined. A small house, blue-painted front door and windowframes, and a stunning garden. _Definitely her house..._

"There you are. I thought you'd gotten lost..." The door was open, spilling warm light onto the path, and she was peeking around the frame with her customary sweet smile. "Come on, you'll freeze out there.."

The kitchen was painted a bright sunshine yellow, the colour and warmth bringing a grin to his face. All around were pots and pans, on shelves and hanging from racks, and an alcove near the stove held jars of every kind of herb and spice he could think of. She obviously loved to cook, perhaps even more than his mother did. "Wow..."

Murrue giggled, taking a pot of basil and adding some to a pan which bubbled merrily. "I thought lasagne might be nice. You're welcome to help me if you want.."

His answer was to grin, placing his jacket on the back of a chair and rolling up his shirt sleeves. Cooking he enjoyed at the best of times - and he was sure he'd enjoy this even more. Finding a packet of ground beef in the microwave, he added it to a frying pan along with some onion that had already been chopped. "You were waiting for me, weren't you?"

She just smiled demurely and took a sip of the concoction from her pan. Mwu chuckled, making his way to where she stood and wrapping an arm around her waist from behind, laughing at her squeak of surprise and the way her face flamed red. She often snuggled up to him on the sofa in his apartment, but _this_ evidently felt a little different. Buoyed by her reaction, he nuzzled his face into her neck, pressing tiny kisses to the skin. "Well?" Her reply was an quiet murmur, dark eyes fluttering closed at his attention - he was clearly doing something she liked. Whispering endearments, he ran his fingers up and down the bare skin of her arms, grinning in triumph when she shivered.

"We'll...burn dinner.." she managed to protest, though it sounded rather half-hearted.

"Would you mind?" _I sure wouldn't... _She'd haunted his dreams almost since the day they'd met...and now the dreams were making it rather hard to sleep. His firestation buddies had commented on how tired he looked these days, but he couldn't exactly tell them his girlfriend was stopping him sleeping - he'd never hear the end of it.

Murrue half-opened her eyes. "Not that this isn't nice...but I _am_ kind of hungry.." Almost every part of her wanted to stay in his embrace, to just close her eyes and see where things took them, but her rational mind said otherwise. "Come on now.." Wriggling free of his hold, flicking his nose at his grumble, she stirred the sauce mixture, which had begun to burn slightly. "We'd have ended up setting the kitchen on fire or something.."

Mwu chuckled, nuzzling a kiss to her cheek before returning his attention to the frying beef and onions. She smiled and kept cooking, though only half her focus was on the food. The feelings his touch and kiss had stirred up in her were difficult to shake off - her heart was still racing, and she was very sure her face was still red. _I haven't felt this way about anyone before... _Sure, she'd had boyfriends, but none that had had this much of an effect on her... Shaking her head to clear it, she leaned against the counter with a sigh.

"Are you all right?"

Murrue managed a smile. "Yeah, I'm okay..." He studied her for a moment, azure eyes showing concern, before leaning close to touch his forehead to hers.

"You're kinda warm," he murmured. She fought hard to stifle a laugh. With how close he was, was it any wonder? Mwu closed his eyes for a moment, then nodded, kissing the tip of her nose. "Go sit down, okay? I'll finish this up.."

"But.."

He grinned, kissing her again. "Go on.." Taking the open bottle of wine that sat on the kitchen table, he poured her a glass before steering her into the sitting room. In truth, she was relieved...it was hard to concentrate on cooking while he was there. _I can't focus right...just being close to him makes me feel dizzy... _She took a sip of the wine, curling up on the sofa, and simply listened. The sounds of pots bubbling was a familiar enough sound in her house - but the cheerful humming and whistling wasn't, at least, it hadn't been for a long time. And, with a smile, she realised she very much wanted it to be again. Six weeks she'd known him, and here she was thinking like that...but she couldn't help it. _I fell for him without realising it. I just thought about him, imagined his smile - and my heart just jumped. _It hadn't been love at first sight...life wasn't a fairytale, and he certainly wasn't dignified enough to be a prince of any kind. He was clumsy, kind of goofy, noisy... She stifled a giggle. Yes, he was all those things, but he was also cheerful, kind and affectionate. No matter what kind of day she'd had, one of his smiles was enough to cause a rush of happiness.

"It's in the oven now," he announced, wandering in with his own glass of wine and sitting beside her on the plush sofa. "You sure have a nice house.."

Murrue smiled proudly. She'd decorated the whole place herself over the course of a couple of months or so. The sitting room was a pale red and gold, feeling warm and cosy even on the coldest of days, and dotted with mementoes, some of her work, and dozens of photographs. The sofa was perfect for snuggling up on, and Mwu evidently thought so too, as the first thing he did was set down his wine glass and wrap her up in his arms. "Thanks for inviting me over.."

"I come over to your place most days and you cook me dinner - it's about time I returned the favour," she replied softly. He chuckled as she snuggled closer, tucking her head into the crook of his neck, and pressed a kiss to the crown of her hair.

"I like you coming over - I look forward to it, and so does Ruby. We miss you when you're not around..." She smiled at that. She knew Ruby missed her - the way the little dog threw herself at her whenever she walked in the door was proof of that. And as for Mwu, well most days he wrapped her up in a massive bear-hug, almost squeezing the breath from her...not that she really minded, since she'd hug him back just as tightly as she could.

"I miss you too.." Closing her eyes, she breathed in his scent, the smell of spicy cologne and sandalwood soap she loved almost as much as the one it belonged to, and wished she could stay there forever.

Dinner that night was a quiet affair, the two sat around her candlelit kitchen table to enjoy the meal and the wine. He watched her as they ate, a faint smile to his lips when she glanced up then away quickly, a pink flush spreading over her cheeks. Even though they spent as much time as possible together, she was still shy sometimes, which he found adorable...although he did stare at her rather more than he should. _But when someone's as beautiful as she is...it's hard __**not**__ to stare.. _

"I have an idea for dessert," he announced, leaning forward to catch her lips in a kiss. "You go sit down, and I'll bring it to you. Sound okay?"

Her expression was faintly dubious, but she nodded, getting up and making her way back into the sitting room. Mwu grinned. He'd brought everything he needed with him...a little preparation was all that was required...

She tried her best to focus on the wine, but found it difficult. He'd closed the kitchen door so she couldn't peek at what he was doing, but it didn't stop her from trying to guess. "Will I like this idea?"

A short burst of laughter. "I hope so." A moment or so later the door opened, and he swept in brandishing a plate. "Here we go. Close your eyes and pick one. Trust me.."

Hiding a smile, she did as she was told, closing her eyes and stretching out a hand until thin fingers found one of the objects on the plate. "Do I eat it?"

His laughter echoed in her ears, and he took her hand in his and guided it to her mouth. "Go on.." Giggling, she did as asked...then her eyes popped open. "Oh.." With a smile, she chewed happily. Fruit, a piece of orange to be exact, coated in chocolate. The plate held various other chocolate-coated objects recognisable as other fruits, strawberries, apple slices, pineapple , and what looked like marshmallows. Mwu was grinning, evidently pleased with her reaction, and sneaked a strawberry.

"Not bad, huh?"

"Not bad at all.." Taking a piece of pineapple, she popped it in her mouth before settling back against her boyfriend with a content sigh.

He chuckled softly and settled back into the plush sofa, she held tightly in his arms. He loved to hold her close like this, breathing in the combined scents of warm skin, lavender, and roses, and he knew she enjoyed the embrace just as much - especially given how often she fell asleep in his arms. _She'll just curl up close and drift off, and although it sometimes makes my arm go dead, I never want to move. Just to stay there like that forever._

One day soon, he'd tell her.

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( I promised sises some faint naughtiness, but there's plenty of time for that :p

please read and review! )


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: (I always forget this) No, I don't own anything, sadly, except for an overactive imagination and love for fluff. And smuts.

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She hadn't noticed him watching her yet. She'd come over after work again (well, actually, he'd waited for her outside the school and walked her back here) to share the dinner he'd made and sit with him a while. She had fussed a little, citing her nosy neighbours and the fact that she really ought to eat dinner at home every once in a while, but after a sweeping kiss, her grumbles had mysteriously vanished. He knew she was right, but still... _I love having her over. It's much more fun cooking for two than for one. And besides...I'm not the only one who'd miss her if she didn't come visit... _Glancing down, he grinned. Ruby was also watching Murrue, wet nose twitching and tail wagging.

"You standing there," came a soft voice, and Mwu looked up to see her regarding him with a raised eyebrow, "will not get you dessert any faster. In fact, if you don't quit peeking, I'll give Ruby your share."

Shoulders slumping, he backed out of the room, tugging an equally reluctant collie behind him. After they'd finished dinner (vegetable stew, the recipe for which he'd stolen from his mom) she'd decided that she would make dessert in return, and had taken over his kitchen. She wouldn't tell him what she was making, and certainly wouldn't let him peek, discouraging each attempt with a scowl and wave of a metal spatula. "Guess we wait," he informed Ruby, who whined, ears and tail drooping. The little dog adored Murrue, following the young woman wherever she went, and competing with her owner to see which of them could cuddle closer to her. "She says you make a good hot water bottle. But you know what? I bet I make a better one."

Ruby clearly didn't think much of that claim, trotting to the kitchen door and pawing on it wistfully.

Adding some of the mixture she'd prepared to the hot pan, Murrue grinned. She'd heard Mwu's claim, and had fought hard to stifle a laugh. Ruby _did _make a very good hot water bottle, especially when she'd just arrived from the cold street, but between the dog and her owner...there was no contest. Still smiling, she continued to make dessert, imagining his happy smile when he found out what it was. Most likely he would wrap her up in a warm hug, nuzzling his face into the crook of his neck until she laughed at the tickling sensation. _It's funny. Three months ago, I was fine with the idea of being alone. I had my friends, and the children at school - I didn't think I needed anything else. But now I have __**him**_

"Are you done in there yet?" The door opened a little way, and a second later a nose and twinking blue eye appeared in the crack. The nose twitched. "Something smells good.."

"No, I'm not done yet. Patience." Opening the door a little further, she kissed him lightly...then closed the door again, not able to keep from laughing at his whine of disappointment. He could be so like a child, wanting affection and attention - but then again she loved children, so it really made sense that she would love him too.

After a few more minutes of cooking, the last part of dessert was ready. Arranging them on a plate, along with bottles of chocolate and maple syrup, she opened the door and peeked out. "Ready.."

Mwu beamed, patting the sofa in an invitation for her to come sit beside him. "Whatcha got?

"Pancakes," she announced, giggling at the way his face lit up in delight. "I thought you'd like that.."

The two of them sat together, her head resting on his shoulder as they ate. He'd smothered his pancakes (he'd eaten most of them) with maple syrup, and had managed to get some on his chin. Murrue smiled, tapping her own chin, and he grinned sheepishly and tried to reach the syrup with his tongue...but it was in an awkward spot, and he couldn't get to it. With a shake of her head, she moved closer and kissed the sugary smear away. "In your face, not on it," she teased.

"Oh?" His smile no longer embarrassed, he took both of her hands in his and turned them palm upwards to show her the chocolate sauce on her fingertips. "Who's messier?"

"Still you," she replied mildly, reaching for a napkin to wipe her hands. Mwu laughed, and before she could wipe off the chocolate - he began kissing it off. The touch was gentle and careful, and although initially taken aback by it she quickly relaxed, snuggling back into him happily.

"That feels nice.." she murmured after a while, voice and mind rather hazy. She could feel his smile as his lips continued to trace her fingertips, and feel the laugh echoing deep within his chest.

"Does it? All right then, tell me...which feels nicer?" Before she could process his words, he began to lazily stroke her stomach though the thin fabric of her shirt. "The kisses, or this?"

She tried to answer, but the sensations that were building up made it difficult to even think straight, let alone speak, and all that came out was a soft cry and a shiver. Closing her eyes, she sank back against him, wondering how someone she'd met just three months ago could have this much of an effect on her. _Not something I expected - but I can't deny it..._

"Well?"

Murrue could clearly hear the mischief in his voice, and allowed herself a wicked smile, angling her head to look up at him. _Ah, to hell with it... _Shifting in his embrace, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him fiercely. A little taken aback at first, Mwu made a muffled sound of surprise...then the sound became a low rumbling laugh as he returned the kiss with equal passion. And after that...well, she didn't remember much, save for kisses, and warmth - and him. _Has it really only been three months? It feels like forever... _When it was all over, she blinked hazily up at him...and smiled, tracing his answering smile with a gentle finger.

"That...felt nice too.." she murmured, giggling softly. He nodded, blue eyes full of affection, and leaned down to press a light butterfly kiss to her lips before tucking his head into the crook of her neck with a contented sigh.

"You want me to walk you home later?"

"You'll be late for work.." she replied, combing her fingers through his hair. Mwu's response was to chuckle. He began to trace patterns on her stomach under her rather crumpled shirt.

"What if I want to be late?"

"You can't.." she scolded, though breathlessly due to his attention. "Come on, you should be getting ready.."

It took several minutes, and just as many kisses before he finally climbed off the sofa, retrieving his T-shirt from where he had thrown it over the sleeping Ruby. Donning the garment, he glanced back at Murrue with a smile. She smiled back, though a little shyly, fiddling with a lock of her hair. Her cheeks were flushed pink, her clothes were rumpled - it hadn't been quite as romantic as he'd have liked. _I'd have preferred to have swept her off her feet...she deserves that much. But it just happened. _Kneeling down, he took both her hands between his and kissed them gently.

"Next time it'll be better, I promise.."

She smiled again, this expression halfway between angelic and mischievous. "It will?"

"Ten times better," he assured her, snatching a kiss before heading for the shower. And it would be, he promised himself as the hot water rained down on him. Next time he'd take his time to show her how important she'd become to him. Twelve weeks...was that really all it had been? With a grin, he rubbed shampoo into his hair, whistling a cheerful tune. A day after he'd told himself he didn't need or want a girlfriend, he'd met her - and never looked back. _Mom wants me to bring her over for dinner one weekend - she's never done that with any of my girlfriends before. She knows what I know...that Murrue's special._

Peeking back out into the sitting room, Mwu smiled again. She was sitting on the rug beside the still-sleeping Ruby, caressing the collie's fur and humming softly to herself. She was blushing still, but also still smiling - she looked happy. _I'm glad of that. I didn't mean for things to happen the way they did, and I was worried how she'd feel about it... _Encouraged, he dressed quickly and stole in to sit beside her, winding arms around her waist. "You okay?"

"Mmm-hmm.."

"I have to go in a little while.."

Murrue sighed, but nodded, brushing thin hands through her hair. "I'd better get going myself. It's getting pretty late.." But she made no move to leave, instead settling back against him and closing her eyes.

"Stay here." She looked up at him at those words, large expressive eyes showing surprise. He smiled. "It's okay. I just...it'd be nice to come home from work and know you were here. And it'd mean a lot.." And he couldn't think of anything better when he came home tired in the early hours of the morning than to climb into a warm bed and snuggle close to the one he loved. Ruby would curl up on the foot of his bed to warm his toes, but Murrue's was a different kind - a kind that warmed from the inside out, and he wanted to feel that warmth all the time.

"Okay." Giving him that beautiful smile, she kissed him gently. "Promise me something then. That you'll be careful, and that when I wake up, you'll be right there. All right?"

"No problem." Kissing her once more, Mwu murmured something in her ear, before getting up to grab his jacket.

"Wait!"

In the midst of shrugging on the garment, he turned to her with a smile, knowing exactly what she'd say. "Yeah, I do. I think I have since I met you."

"W-well..." Absolutely scarlet, she shook her head as though to clear it. "T-thank you. And..." Taking a deep breath, she smiled. "I love you too. I'll be here when you get home."

Grinning, he blew her a kiss, before heading out whistling cheerfully. _And I thought things couldn't get any better..._

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( Yay for lime XD hope it's ok

please read and review! )


	7. Chapter 7

"Gin."

Blinking owlishly at the cards he held, the other man frowned. "Gin already? Dammit..." Throwing the cards down, he huffed in annoyance, taking a swig of his cooling coffee. His friend chuckled, sweeping together all the cards and reshuffling them.

"Not like you to lose this much buddy. Good job we're only playing for matchsticks. Your mind somewhere else tonight?"

Mwu smiled a little, but didn't answer, further piquing his friend's interest. The other man leaned forward over the small table, emerald eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Spill it. You found yourself a girl?" He and the others on the night shift had been trying for a long time now to get the other man to find someone, but Mwu had never seemed interested, remaining aloof and alone. But lately... Over the last few months or so, he'd changed. He smiled more, talked more...and dreamed more, which had led to an unprecedented losing streak at card games. Most of the other firefighters had suspected the same thing...that he'd met someone. "What's she like?"

The blonde man sighed. "Lay off, Justin. What makes you think I met someone?"

"Aw come on. It's obvious. You've been walking on air for the last couple of months, and when you got here tonight you were grinning like a moron. So spill it."

Mwu rolled his eyes, but wasn't quite able to hide that smile. "Nuh-uh." Justin was more convinced than ever that his friend had met someone, but knew that all the questions in the world wouldn't get anything out of him. Better to wait and see. Grinning, he leaned back and stretched out lazily.

"Man, it's quiet tonight.."

"Isn't that a good thing?" his friend asked mildly, arranging the discarded matchsticks into patterns. "Quiet nights mean no-one's in trouble. I wish it were this boring every night."

"Good point, I guess.." _Still, a busy night passes faster... _

The hours passed in relative quiet, the group of men and women talking, playing cards and drinking coffee. Toward the end of the shift, half of them were asleep, including Mwu and Justin - when suddenly the bell rang shrilly, jerking them all back to wakefulness.

"Ah, dammit!" Throwing down their cards, they made their way toward the lockers to don uniforms and helmets. Mwu cursed silently under his breath, having a distinct feeling that this mission wouldn't be an easy one, and thought of the young woman he'd kissed goodbye earlier that evening. She'd be asleep now, probably with Ruby at her feet, waiting for him to come home. _Please let me come home safe to her... _He made the same wish every night, but this plea was more fervent. She was waiting for him.

As the engine roared through the night, sirens and lights blaring, Justin called ahead to the 911 operator to check the details. "How bad is it?"

_"House fire. Most of the family managed to get out - but there are reports that one of the kids might be trapped inside.." _Most of the firefighters swore at that. The calls they hated most - children in danger. Justin nodded, expression tight.

"Roger. ETA three minutes.. And pray God we aren't too late.." he added under his breath.

The house was almost fully ablaze when they reached it, flames leaping high into the night air. A small family was grouped a short distance away, faces white with shock and fear as they were treated by paramedics. One of the medics broke away to reach the firefighters. "They say the five-year-old's still inside - they couldn't reach her..." The hose was quickly set up, a jet of water spraying to douse the flames. Oxygen tanks equipped, Mwu and Justin made their way into the house, braving the intense heat to find the missing child.

"It doesn't look good.." Justin murmured, green eyes wide behind his facemask. The older man nodded, but trod forward across the ruins of a lifetime to find the stairs. If the child was alive, he'd find her. The stairs were on fire, but still intact, and he never hesitated, despite Justin's warning. Setting his chin in determination, Mwu began to climb the stairs, taking it a step at a time. The fire roared around him, but he steeled himself not to notice. The one he'd come to find was more afraid than he was, after all.

Up ahead, he could hear crying coming from behind a closed door. The door provided a barrier against the flames, preventing them from reaching the child, which relieved him no end. Creeping across the fire-damaged landing, he carefully pushed open the door. "Hey..."

The child was sitting on the end of her bed, little face white with fear underneath the smoke and tearstains. Understanding his appearance would be likely just as frightening as the fire, Mwu removed the facemask, directing his best reassuring smile at the little girl. "Hello there.."

She regarded him mutely, clearly too terrified to speak. He still smiled. "Do you want to go see your mommy and daddy? They're waiting for you outside..." Without a word, she nodded, and he grinned, picking her up and moving to the open window. _This stopped her inhaling too much smoke...that and the closed door saved her life... _"Look, see that lady on the ladder? She's going to take you down to Mommy and Daddy, okay? Go on.." Carefully passing the little girl to his friend, he grinned, moving to climb on the windowsill himself...then froze. The floor creaked ominously, the fire-damaged floorboards beginning to give way under his weight.

"Oh shi-"

"Mwu!"

The almighty crash from inside the house had taken everyone by surprise. Dropping his helmet, Justin raced to the open door, staring around wildly. The floor of the upper story had collapsed, the shattered debris of plaster, wood and burned furniture lying scattered below. "Mwu! Buddy, are you okay? Mwu!" There was no sign of his friend, no movement from beneath the ruins, no matter how loud he called. All he could do was move the wreckage, searching frantically for any sign of the older man. "Dammit, Mwu, you better be okay. What would I tell your girlfriend?"

"Who said...I had a girlfriend?" The voice was faint and hoarse, but music to Justin's ears. Laughing, he dug through the wreckage in the direction of the voice, removing charred remnants of the house until he found the one he searched for. Having removed his facemask earlier, Mwu was rather blackened, blood trickling from a nasty-looking cut on his forehead, but he was grinning, azure eyes twinkling. "That was a helluva ride."

"You idiot." Justin announced almost cheerfully, helping him sit up. "Playing hero again."

"Can't help it if these things just happen to me instead of you." was the reply, the older man brushing the dust from his jacket. "The bruises are a side-effect I could do without though.."

"Hospital again?" Justin asked, but Mwu shook his head.

"It's just cuts and bruises - nothing I need to bother the hospital with. I'll just head home and sort it out."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. It's nearly end of shift anyway. Supervisor wouldn't mind me going home a bit early?"

Justin sighed. "I think your excuse convinced him. Go on. Get yourself cleaned up."

And after a check on the little girl he'd helped rescue, that's just what he did. The apartment was dark and quiet, the plates from dinner washed and neatly put away - in fact the kitchen looked cleaner than it had in months. "Bless you, Murrue.." Despite his tiredness, and the ache from the light injuries he'd sustained, he couldn't help smiling. It really did feel like she belonged here - like it was her home. _I wouldn't mind if she never left..._

After washing the dirt and dried blood from his face, he opened the bedroom door as quietly as he could...and grinned. She was curled up in bed, dark hair streaming over the pillow, fast asleep with that sweet smile on her face. Ruby lay protectively at the foot of the bed, though she awoke when he crept in, looking up with a sleepy whine. "Good girl," he whispered, scratching her between the ears. "Thanks for looking after her."

Her evening had been peaceful, if a little lonely. He'd left her a note on the kitchen table before he'd gone out, telling her to treat the apartment like her own house, that he'd be home around 5, and that he loved her. Part of her had been wondering whether to just go home...but the thought of waking up in the morning with him beside her... Instead of leaving, she'd made herself a cup of tea and settled down on the sofa with Ruby beside her...and thought about the evening.

_I hadn't been expecting that...it just happened. But I don't regret it... _ They'd crossed the line - no going back. And she'd found she didn't mind a bit. She'd hugged Ruby close, laughing as the little dog licked her face, and watched TV until she felt sleepy.

It had felt strange to sleep in someone else's bed...at least at first. Smiling in her sleep, Murrue nuzzled into the pillow, breathing in his scent. It felt comforting - like her own home. _Like this could be home... _Her dreams (mostly of him) were disturbed when light fell across the bed, stirring her into wakefulness. "Mmmm?"

"It's okay. Go back to sleep.." The voice made her smile, and she sat up to flick on the lamp, rubbing her eyes. He was smiling back, although he looked very tired, and stretched out, joints popping. "You and Ruby been okay?"

"Yeah.." Moving up in bed to make room for him, Murrue leaned against the wall, regarding him with drowsy affection. He removed the blue T-shirt he wore and winced, brows knitting into a frown. She was about to ask him what was wrong...then saw the state of him. "Mwu?" He was covered in cuts and scrapes, most of them bleeding, and a livid bruise was developing across his back. "What happened?"

"We went out to a house fire - there was a kid trapped in one of the upstairs rooms. I managed to get her out...then the floor collapsed and I kinda fell through it.."

"You fell...through the floor." Shaking her head, she sighed. "Didn't I tell you to be careful?"

Mwu managed a sheepish grin and a shrug. With a roll of the eyes, she patted the bed for him to sit down before walking out to the bathroom.

"Ow!"

She swatted the back of his head. "Don't be a baby." Adding more antiseptic to the cotton ball, she dabbed away the dried blood, carefully cleaning the wounds before dressing them. As well as the fresh injuries, he also had several old ones, already healed and faded - she hadn't noticed them before. _Is his job really this dangerous? _With a frown, she continued to treat him. He evidently knew she'd noticed the scars, as he sighed and looked away.

"I told you to be careful," she said softly. "I know you have to do your job, but..." She shook her head. "Sorry. I don't have any right to scold you like that.."

"You do," he replied, glancing back up at her. His smile was gentle, as was the way he brushed the back of his hand against her cheek. "You have more right than anyone. I'm sorry I wasn't more careful.."

"But you saved someone?" Murrue asked, cleaning the last of the cuts.

He nodded. "A little girl. I passed her to a friend on the ladder outside...but the floor gave way before I could get out myself. Guess I was too heavy.." The comment was obviously meant to make her smile...and despite her own best efforts, she couldn't help it. His face lit up at her smile, and he leaned forward to kiss her gently on the nose. "That's better."

She pinked, looking down at her lap...before she realised what she was (or rather wasn't) wearing. She'd found one of his T-shirts over the back of the sofa, and had decided to wear it as a nightdress - but although it hung low, it still exposed quite a bit of her, and she reddened further.

"It looks nice," Mwu said. With a grin, he traced her exposed shoulder. "I kinda like you wearing my clothes - although I hope you wouldn't show that much of yourself to anyone else.."

That information made her smile again. "Oh? You'd be jealous?"

"What do _you_ think?" Leaning close he traced her shoulder again, only this time with kisses. Her smile growing, she closed her eyes, leaning back as his fingers wisped across her stomach.

"Shouldn't we be sleeping?"

He chuckled and reached up to flick off the light, tugging the comforter up to cover them both. "Plenty of time for that.." he whispered, before catching her lips in a kiss.

"It's getting light outside.."

"Oh yeah.." He yawned, the contented sound making her giggle sleepily. His injuries still smarted slightly, but her warmth and gentle touch were more than able to take the pain away. She was curled up close beside him, head pillowed on his chest, and purred softly as he stroked her back. "You know you can stay as long as you want.."

Eyes closed, she smiled. "I know.." Snuggling closer with a happy sigh, she drifted off to sleep, still with that smile on her face. He watched her for a while, thinking about how lucky he was. _Three months since I met her - since I saw the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen reading in the park - and now here she is asleep in my arms..._ With a kiss to the crown of her hair, he tucked the covers more securely around her before falling asleep himself just as the sun peeked over the horizon.

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( Heroic fluffy smutty thing :points: Hope you like it!

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	8. Chapter 8

He stalked his target carefully. They were unsuspecting, standing with their back to him - it would be the perfect hit. Frowning in concentration, he weighed his weapon, ready to strike...then his plan was busted wide open when his target turned around and hit him with the force of a stunning smile. Caught off balance for a second, it was long enough for the tables to be turned. Too late, he realised _he_ had become the target, and had no chance to run before he was pelted with at least five snowballs, one hitting him smartly in the back of the head and knocking his hat off. "Bleh! No fair!"

"What's no fair?" his assailant asked sweetly, tossing another snowball in a mittened hand. "_You_ were the one who sneaked up on _me_.."

"Well, yeah...but I didn't expect you to use a smile as a weapon.." Rather sheepishly, he rubbed the back of his neck at her gentle laughter. She'd known exactly where to hit him - he'd told her more than once how much he loved her smile - and he hadn't stood a chance. With a sigh, he shook his head, retrieving the black wool hat from the snow before walking over to his girlfriend. Despite the snowball fight that had lasted more than an hour, her pink jacket showed no traces of it, wheras his own jacket was more white than black. He was beginning to realise that in more ways than one...he was no match for her.

"You look cold," Murrue remarked cheerfully. Standing on her tiptoes, she kissed the end of his nose. _She_ didn't look cold...her cheeks were pink, but that just made her more beautiful. "Do you want to go home and warm up?" At his nod, she giggled, taking his gloved hand in hers. "Ruby! Ruby, c'mon!"

About five seconds later, a black and white blur appeared around the corner, cannoning through a piled up drift before flopping down at Mwu's feet, snow flying everywhere as she wagged her tail furiously. The little collie seemed to have had as much fun in the recent heavy snowfall as Murrue and Mwu had, having found a group of children to run around and play with. Smiling, the young woman crouched down to brush some of the caked snow from Ruby's fur and fasten a lead to her collar. "It's time for lunch now, okay?" The dog barked happily, trotting beside the young woman as she and her companion trudged through the snow.

"Mom says she'll be waiting for us later," he remarked, tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear carefully. Grace had asked - well, insisted - that he bring Murrue over for dinner so she could meet her properly. _"I want to know more about her," _she'd announced briskly. _"She seems such a nice girl. And if she could catch hold of your heart so quickly, she must be very special.." _

At her smile, he shook his head. "She's kinda nosy, I ought to warn you.."

"My mom would be too.." Murrue replied, voice soft. "She'd have loved to have met you.."

He regarded her for a moment, noting how sad she looked. She hadn't mentioned much about her life, aside some tales of her work and friends. Her family...she'd never spoken of them. "Where is your mom?"

"She got sick a few years ago." was the quiet reply. "My dad died when I was about five or six - I barely remember him. I still visit them every week, tell them how I'm doing...I told them all about you, and Ruby, and that I'm happy.." She squeaked a little as he suddenly pulled her close, amber eyes wide. "Mwu?"

"I'm sorry.." Closing his eyes, he rested his chin on the top of her head. Four months they'd been together now, and he'd never once asked about her family. His father had died when he'd been younger, and he'd never had any siblings...but at least he'd had his mom. Murrue had no-one. Understanding, she looped her arms around his shoulders and hugged him back.

"You've nothing to be sorry for. It happened a long time ago now, and you weren't to know..."

"But still.." She looked up at him and placed a finger on his lips.

"But nothing." Standing on her tiptoes, she replaced the finger with a kiss. "Don't worry. It's all right."

Back at the apartment, she warmed up some stew while he made coffee and fed Ruby. When the little dog was eating happily he wound an arm around Murrue's waist, leaning close to inhale the scent of the cooking food. "How many times have you been back home this week?"

She smiled, pretending to think. "Hmm. Twice, maybe?" Of course, she had to go home sometimes, sort through her mail, get clean clothes, check her answering machine...but she was happy here. _This is as much home to me as my house..._ Perhaps even more so, given that the person she'd come to love more than anyone was here. Home, she'd come to realise, was as much about the people you shared it with than it was about the place itself. That was why this apartment was home. "Why, would you like me to go?"

"Don't be silly.." He nuzzled into her neck, the tickle of his lips making her giggle. "I keep telling you, you're welcome to stay here as long as you want. When you're _not_ here it's lonely, and Ruby keeps running to the door and whining. She loves you more than me."

"She does not." Dipping a spoon into the stew, she sipped it before letting him taste.

"Does too," he replied mid-chew. "She follows you everywhere, curls up next to you on the sofa, and whines when you're not around."

Murrue giggled. "Don't _you_ do that? Maybe Ruby's just too much like you.." He made a face at that, which only made her laugh more, and she wriggled out of his embrace to pour the finished stew into the two bowls waiting on the kitchen table. "Oh!"

Leaning on the kitchen doorframe was a dark-haired man. His green eyes twinkled as he watched the couple, grin widening. Surprised and a little startled, she turned to look up at Mwu. He sighed, shaking his head. "Knock, buddy?"

"I figured sneaking was the best idea," the man replied cheerfully. "Besides..." He dangled a silvery object from one hand. "You gave me a key, remember?"

Mwu rolled his eyes. "Dumbest thing I ever did. Murrue, this is Justin. He's a friend of mine from work.."

She nodded slowly, still a little confused. "Nice to meet you. Would you like some stew?"

The man beamed, and was clearly about to accept, but Mwu placed a hand on her shoulder. "Nah, he was just about to leave. Weren't you, buddy?"

Justin chuckled and raised his hands. "Okay, I get it. Three's a crowd." He nodded politely. "Nice to meet you, Murrue-san..." He turned around and walked away, the door to the apartment closing few seconds later. Murrue and Mwu stared at each other for a moment, then he sighed.

"Sorry 'bout that. He's been trying to get me to talk about you for weeks now, but I never would. I guess he just figured this would be the only way to meet you.." She giggled, understanding that he was actually a little shy about showing her off to his friends. _He can be so sweet... _

"He seems like a nice person," she mused, adding the stew to the waiting bowls. "Though it was a surprise to see him just standing there like that.." At first she'd thought he was some kind of prowler or intruder - if she'd been alone in the apartment.. "If you hadn't been here, it might not have been too good.."

"He wouldn't have hurt you."

"Who says I'd have let him?" At Mwu's surprised expression, she smiled wickedly. "You've only seen my good side so far."

He wisely chose to remain silent, instead sitting down at the table and beginning to eat. Stifling a laugh, she sat down opposite. She knew he wouldn't stay quiet for long - she'd given him something to think about. Within five minutes, he'd ask.

"You have a bad side?"

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"Do I look okay?"

"You look beautiful." She smiled a little at the compliment, though the worry didn't fade entirely. Although she'd met his mother once before, a couple of weeks after she'd met Mwu himself, it had apparently only been for ten minutes or so. He watched her fondly as she brushed down the front of her blouse nervously and fiddled with her hair. "Relax, sweetheart. Mom liked you the minute she met you.." _Like I did... _That made her smile again, and he squeezed her hand before knocking on the door of the small house.

Grace answered within a minute, her face lighting up to see the two of them standing there. "Hello. Come on in.." Mwu grinned, escorting his companion inside, one hand placed gently on her shoulder. The house beyond was neat and well-kept as always, mementoes and ornaments dotting every available surface. One of these was a framed photograph of Mwu as a child, and Murrue was drawn to it instantly, gazing at the image with a smile.

"When he was five," Grace said softly, seeing how interested the young woman was. "I have more pictures, if you'd like.."

"I'd like that very much," Murrue replied, before glancing up behind her. Mwu's expression was stricken, blue eyes wide, and she giggled. "But I don't think _he_ would.." Grace nodded, taking in the teasing smile and affectionate way the young woman regarded the man beside her, and couldn't help but think that Mwu had met his match.

"I see. Well then, you'll have to come visit one day while he's asleep still, or working." Murrue beamed happily at that suggestion, while Mwu groaned, placing a hand over his eyes.

For dinner there was cottage pie, and wine, and quiet chatter. As expected, Grace had several questions about Murrue, her life, family, work, and seemed more than happy with the answers. Mwu could see his mother's delight growing with her smile, and knew that even if he ever found anyone else, they would never be good enough in her eyes. _She already sees her as daughter-in-law material. Every girlfriend I've had she's predicted how long they'll last, and she's always right. But with Murrue...there was no prediction. _

When it was time to leave, Grace caught his arm. "Don't you let go of her." she whispered. "You won't find another like her..."

"I know.." he replied. He'd known the moment he met her that Murrue was special. She was companion, best friend and lover all in one person...he'd never met anyone he'd wanted to share his life with before. Only four months, and here he was thinking that way. _I don't know how she feels about it. She's obviously comfortable with me - the fact that she spends most of her time with me is proof of that. But I don't know whether she wants what we have to last or not..._

"You want me to drive you home?"

Surprised at the question, Murrue looked up at him. He was smiling, but there was an odd look in his eyes she didn't recognise. Usually he was more than happy for her to stay over... "Do you want me to go?"

He blinked, then sighed. "And I didn't word it right. I don't want you to go...I was just wondering whether _you_ wanted to.."

"If I wanted to stay, would you let me?" At his smile, she hopped onto the sofa beside him, resting her head on his shoulder. "Home doesn't have you there."

Reckless she wasn't - she had saved carefully for the life she had now, and she didn't want to do anything she'd regret if this relationship didn't work out. _I'll give it two more months...see how things go.. _"I'll go home after work on Monday. My neighbours will think I've moved out..." Blushing a little at her own words, she smiled, realising how much she would like that.

"So that gives me a day to convince you otherwise.." Mwu mused, winding a lock of her hair around a finger.

"First you're asking if I want to go home, now you want me to stay...you'll have to make your mind up.."

He grinned. "I guess I will. Okay then, I want you to stay. For always."

"For always, hmm?" Fighting hard to contain her delight, she instead assumed what she hoped was an air of nonchalance. "That does sound nice, and I'm sure Ruby would like that. Big decision though. Can I have some time to think about it?"

"Take all the time you need," he replied with a kiss.

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( fwee XD

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	9. Chapter 9

The apartment looked very different. A bookcase ran along one wall, stacked deep with books, CD's and folders, and topped with framed photographs and mementoes. A colourful glass Tiffany style lamp stood on a dresser covered in papers and books, and a cosy red rug covered the wooden floor in front of the sofa. Sitting on this sofa, he glanced around, smiling at the change. Things just felt more comfortable this way. The curtains were closed against the night, the rug was warm to his feet, and the chiming of a clock mixed with soft breathing. He wasn't sure what made this place seem more like home than it had before, the extra furniture...or her.

She was lying on the sofa fast asleep, her head cradled in his lap, and never stirred as he stroked her hair gently. Both of them had spent the day moving furniture from her house to the apartment, and while the majority of the heavier things had been left behind, all the important ones were here. _Because this is her home now..._

Most of the other teachers Murrue worked with had expressed surprise at her moving into his apartment rather than him into her house, and he too had wondered why...he'd have had no problem moving in with her. But then again, over the five months they'd been together she'd spent most of her time here - had even admitted to being lonely in her own house. _"I'm so used to waking up beside you, with Ruby lying on my feet...that I have trouble sleeping alone..."_

Ruby seemed to know that Murrue had come to live here now. The moment the last piece of furniture had been put in place and the couple had sat down to admire their handiwork, the little collie had jumped straight up to land beside the young woman, tail thumping on the soft cushion before she settled down with her head in Murrue's lap.

"She decided the day she met you that she was going to be your dog too, I think." he told the sleeping woman softly. Ruby right now was curled up asleep on the rug Murrue had brought from her house, as close to the sofa as she could get. "Either that or she thought you'd make a better owner than me. Which is probably true." Whether or not the dog had had her own interests in mind when she'd found Murrue that day, he wasn't sure - but he wasn't complaining. Because that day he'd met an angel.

_The only cloud on the horizon is my job... _Not that he didn't enjoy what he did - being a firefighter was an immensely rewarding job - but the hours he worked meant he didn't get to spend much time with Murrue. When he woke up, she had usually gone for work, and even when she arrived home they could only spend a few hours together before he had to leave for work himself. He'd already approached the station commander about changing his shift, but it would take time to get that sorted out. Until then, he'd have to live with not seeing her much. Leaning down, he pressed a gentle kiss to her lips then scooped her up in his arms so he could lie beside her, face nuzzled into the crook of her neck. She murmured in her sleep, smiling as though dreaming of something pleasant, and despite his morose thoughts, Mwu couldn't help smiling himself. She was a dreamer even when awake, amber eyes often trained on the middle distance as though looking at something he couldn't see, and no amount of kisses or tickles could ever induce her to tell him what she was thinking about. _She always seems happy when she comes back from her dreamworld - if what she dreams about is good, then I guess I don't need to know the details..._

"How's life with the girlfriend treating you?" Justin asked a couple of nights later over another game of cards. Like always, the older man refused to answer...he simply smiled. He knew his friend was curious about Murrue and about how close they were, but he'd never spoken of it. Picking another card, he leaned back in the chair to examine his hand. Justin sighed, shaking his head. "And I don't suppose you feel like telling me what you got her for Valentine's Day? I need ideas.."

Mwu blinked. _Valentine's Day? _Since none of his previous relationships had lasted longer than a couple of weeks, he'd never had call to celebrate Valentine's before. But now.. Sighing, he stared at the hand he held, smiling at the irony that one of the cards was the Ace of Hearts. She deserved everything he could give her...but what could that be? Justin noticed his reaction and grinned, "You forgot, huh? Let me tell you buddy, it is _not_ easy. You always wonder whether the gift you chose is right, and if it isn't...she'll let you know.."

The blonde man slumped back into the chair. Not that he thought Murrue would be angry with him, but any gift he got her he wanted to be perfect. This would take some serious thought.

"What does she like? She have a favourite flower?" Justin had picked up on his friend's despondency, and decided to help. _He's hopeless at this kind of thing. His heart's in the right place, but he's got no clue about romance..._ Mwu brightened at the question.

"Roses." he answered firmly. "She brought at least five of them in pots when she moved in." The younger man nodded thoughtfully.

"How about chocolate? She like that?"

He got a grin in reply. "She pretends she doesn't, but I keep finding bits stashed here and there - I don't think she wants me to know she likes it.." Justin chuckled at that, tapping his cards against the table. Chocolate and roses, gifts most girls would be happy to receive for Valentine's. But there was one more thing to add.

"Okay, that's pretty good. But to make it perfect, you need to get a special gift too. Something tailored to her, something you know she'd like.."

That took some thought. When he returned home early that morning he found himself lying awake, staring up at the ceiling deep in thought. Something he knew she'd like... She was asleep beside him, but stirred as he gently brushed away a lock of hair from her face. "Mmm?" Blinking sleepily, she smiled to see him, and shuffled up in the bed to cuddle close to him before drifting back off to sleep with a happy sigh. Her warmth and closeness were comforting, causing an answering warmth in his chest, and he smiled, pressing a soft kiss to the crown of her hair.

"Thanks, sweetheart.." _I think I know now what to get her..._

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It had been a long day. Stifling a yawn, she unlocked the door to the apartment, shedding her heavy bag and flopping down on the sofa with a groan. So tired was she, it took several minutes for it to register that the sitting room was dark save for the glow of a dozen or so candles. It made the place look very different - and rather romantic. With a drowsy smile, she looked up at the happy face peeking at her over the back of the sofa. "This is nice.."

"I hoped you'd think so.." he replied softly, ducking over the sofa to kiss her. "Happy Valentine's Day.."

_So that's what the candles are for... _Stretching out a hand, she stroked his face gently. "Same to you. Is that why Ruby's not here?"

"I took her over to Mom's for the night. She's not a fan of romance, or at least, not the kind that involves me taking all your attention.." Leaning down for another kiss, he hopped over to land beside her, turning her to face a little away from him. "Now close your eyes.." Doing as asked, she smiled as he began to carefully massage her back. His hands were strong, and easily worked out the kinks and knots in the muscles, causing her to lean back against him with a contented little sigh.

"You're good at that. Who've you been practicing on?"

He chuckled. "You're jealous?" Slowly, he moved closer until she could feel his breath warm on the back of her neck. "I like that.." The low and seductive tone to his voice made her shiver. _Five months...and he can make me feel this way with just words? _She was about to answer with a denial but the words died in her throat, coming out only as a shaky gasp. He chuckled, continuing to kiss the exposed skin of her neck and shoulder. He knew perfectly well the effect he had on her, and often took advantage of that, using kisses and caresses to get his own way when his smile and boyish charms failed. She tried to huff and wriggle from his embrace, but had trouble finding the breath to do so (not to mention the will).

"I thought..." she finally managed to say, "I thought this was meant to happen at the end of the night, not the beginning.."

"Who said that?" Mwu asked in a low murmur. Receiving no reply, he chuckled again, continuing his attentions until she was almost dazed before lifting her in his arms and carrying her from the sitting room.

"How long did you spend planning this?" she asked later, voice barely above a murmur. Already drowsy when she'd arrived, she was almost asleep now, especially with the way he was tracing patterns on the bare skin of her back. "And why did I let you do it?"

He replied with a kiss to the crown of her hair. "Because you love me." He made a fair point, and she yawned before settling down with a contented sigh.

"Was this my present?"

"Look around you..." At his gentle words she raised her head, peering owlishly around the small bedroom...then blinked. Beside the bed, on the tiny nightstand, stood a vase filled with the biggest bouquet of roses she'd ever seen. The petals were a beautiful deep red, their texture like velvet.

"They're beautiful.." Sitting up, holding the covers close, Murrue drew one of the flowers from the vase to hold it close and breathe in it's scent. "Thank you." With a wicked smile, she brushed the rose against her lover's bare chest. "It's a shame you've already had your reward.."

He just grinned. "Maybe. But they're not the only presents. Keep looking.."

Beside the vase was a small box of expensive chocolates, the sweets truffle-filled and heart-shaped. Secretly delighted, she leaned down and kissed him gently. Mwu's smile only widened, he sitting up to nuzzle another kiss to the crook of her neck before taking the chocolate from the centre of the box.

"Are these for you, or for me?" she asked half-scoldingly, only to blink in surprise when he popped the sweet into her mouth. His laughter was infectious, and like always she couldn't help smiling in return, especially when he pulled her closer to rest his chin on her shoulder. The gifts didn't surprise her...he was a loving and affectionate companion who would give her the world if he could. _But I'm content with just him - I don't need anything else to be happy.. _In the space where the chocolate had rested, a glint caught her eyes. "Hmm?" Mwu's smile was one of pride, but he didn't elaborate, leaving her to examine the source of the light for herself.

Hidden in the space the sweet had left, the object sparkled silver in the lamplight, seeming almost alive as she lifted it out to gaze at it. It was a necklace, a fine chain from which hung a heart-shaped pendant. "Mwu.."

"Do you like it?"

She nodded, blinking back tears, and let him carefully fasten the pendant around her neck. Taking the heart shape in thin fingers to examine it better, she beamed, then turned around to plant a firm kiss on his lips. He returned this without delay, tugging her back down to land on his solidly-muscled chest. With his kiss, he asked without words for his reward, and she replied in kind, winding her arms around his neck to pull him closer.

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( Fwee for Valentine's. And smuts XD

please read and review! )


	10. Chapter 10

She still wasn't done. Trying his best not to sigh, he leaned against the opposite wall. She'd been in the bathroom for almost an hour, and showed no signs of coming out. Raising an eyebrow, he glanced at Ruby. The little collie looked dejected, ears and tail drooping, and he imagined he himself didn't look much happier. He ran a hand through rumpled blonde hair and shook his head, moving to ruffle the dog's fur. "It's okay. I bet you she'll look even more beautiful when she comes out of there.." She'd been invited to a party by some of her friends, and she'd decided that he was going too. Mwu had a sneaking suspicion that he was going to be shown off, but he didn't mind much - in fact the opposite. _She says her friends always ask about me, about when they'll get to meet me.. _Grinning rather proudly, he glanced up as the door finally opened...and the grin froze on his face.

"What?" she huffed, but he couldn't find the words to answer. All he could do was stare. In place of the loose, comfortable clothes she usually wore for teaching, she wore a pale pink dress, the colour and style accentuating her figure. Her dark hair was piled on top of her head in an elegant braid - in short, despite her pout, she looked more beautiful than he'd ever seen her. Shaking his head to clear the fog, he beamed.

"You look amazing.."

Murrue blushed and smiled, forgetting her annoyance immediately. "Really?" Noting his avid gaze, she giggled, twirling on the spot before walking over to where he stood. "You don't look so bad yourself.." She adjusted the collar of his dark blue shirt, nodding at her handiwork. "This colour suits you." She'd bought him the shirt for Valentine's Day, pointing out rather ruefully that it couldn't measure up to the gifts he'd bought her. But Mwu had been delighted...no-one had ever bought _him_ anything for Valentine's before.

"I'm still going to look boring next to you." he pointed out, brushing a kiss to her cheek and taking her arm. "Shall I escort milady anyway?" As the two walked toward the door, Ruby whined, realising she wasn't going with then, and padded across to lick his hand. He smiled, leaning down to fuss over the little dog. They'd left her toys and food, and in any case they wouldn't be gone long. Murrue smiled. "Be a good girl, okay? We'll be home soon.."

The evening was cold but pleasant, their breath forming clouds on the air as they walked. Shivering a little, she tugged the shawl she wore closely around her. Mwu chuckled, removing his jacket and settling it on her shoulders. "You should have worn a jacket yourself.."

"I know, I know.." Pretending to scowl, she pulled the garment around herself before taking his arm and snuggling close. They often walked together at night now his shift had been changed, letting Ruby run through the park while they discussed the day they'd had. They'd sit down on their favourite bench with a cup of hot coffee or chocolate and watch the stars if the night was clear, talking quietly. They talked now, discussing plans for the weekend (his mom had asked them over for dinner again) and for a trip they wanted to take together, as well as what the party may be like.

"Will that guy be there?"

Murrue sighed. "Probably.." A friend of hers from work, Andrew, had recently become interested in her, according to Erica, and although he'd been told she had a boyfriend now, it didn't stop him from watching her, or trying to flirt with her. The attention made her uncomfortable, and made Mwu rather cross (and very protective). Seeing his scowl, she moved to face him, poking his nose with a finger. "You behave yourself, okay? Don't go saying anything."

"But.." She silenced him with a kiss, brushing thin fingers up through his hair.

"Promise me," she murmured when they broke, "promise me you won't do anything. Even if he makes you angry, let it be."

Mwu managed a rueful smile. "All right, I promise..."

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"Murrue! Glad you could make it!" Giving her friend a hug, Erica eyed her blonde companion appreciatively. Mwu gulped, backing up a step under the scrutiny. He'd been warned to expect this - Murrue had told him how interested her friends were in him - but he hadn't been prepared for _this_ much interest. Erica cackled. "He certainly is a handsome boy, isn't he?"

"Erica.." clucked the younger woman (obviously trying hard not to laugh), "you're scaring him.." Taking Mwu's arm, she tugged him through the group of people toward the drinks table, calling greetings to her friends and receiving them in return. She was aware of Andrew watching them both with barely-disguised irritation, but tried to ignore him. _I knew if I brought Mwu here it would make some people angry, but I want my friends to meet him..._

"How do you get to meet hunks like that? You always get them!" The question was hissed, one of the other teachers whispering in her ear. Murrue giggled, taking a sip of her wine.

"He found me. I was reading in the park one day last September - the next thing I knew this dog had jumped me. He'd lost hold of her lead...I looked up to see him standing there."

"Love at first sight?"

"Not really. I'm not sure I believe in that. But he certainly was handsome." _It might not have been love at first sight...but it was close.. _Erica noticed the younger woman's smile, and patted her shoulder affectionately.

"What happens now? Any plans?"

Murrue blushed. "N-not really. We're thinking of taking a trip somewhere soon, but as for any future plans...it's too soon to tell.."

"What about Andrew?" The young woman's smile faded, and she sighed, gazing into the ruby surface of her drink. It was clear to her friends that the thought troubled her. Andrew was kind and sincere...he would make a good catch for anyone. But he was also very persistent. Erica scowled. "I told him more than once that you already had someone. He doesn't know when to quit.."

"I just worry he's going to say something to Mwu. I made Mwu promise not to do anything...but.."

"He won't. He knows better than that.."

And for a while, it seemed as though Erica was right...until an almighty crash from the other room made the women start in shock. Angry yells and smashing sounds followed the first, the voices easily recognisable. Murrue groaned, setting down her drink and running from the kitchen. The sitting room was chaos, the drinks table having been knocked clean over to spill it's contents on the floor. In the midst of a sea of broken glass and alcohol were Mwu and Andrew, fighting like a pair of schoolboys. The blonde man sported a few choice bruises and a cut lip, but seemed to coming off the best in the fight. Andrew on the other hand had a black eye, and blood trickling from his nose...but neither appeared willing to back down.

"Mwu!" The sound of her voice broke the spell, at least for the moment, and he pulled away, though still glaring at his rival. She took his arm, helping him to his feet...then gave him such a glare his previous belligerence was all but forgotten. "What the _hell_ do you think you're playing at?" He made some attempt to explain himself, but she shook her head. "Never mind. I don't want to know. Come on, we're going."

"But.."

"But nothing." Taking his arm again, she escorted him from the house, only pausing to pick up his jacket and send her friends an apologetic look. Mwu tried his best to explain, only to fall into miserable silence when she glared icily at him, and stayed that way all the way home.

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"I can't believe you did that."

He sighed but said nothing...he wasn't sure of the words to use. He'd never seen his normally gentle girlfriend so angry, and wasn't at all convinced he could placate her, so he chose to remain silent. Murrue watched him for a minute or two, then sighed herself. Leaving him with a rather frightened Ruby, she walked into the bedroom, returning a few moments later with his pillow and a blanket. He'd expected this, and didn't complain. She needed time to think, and perhaps he did too. "I am sorry, for what it's worth.."

"It's worth a lot," she replied softly. "But you promised me..."

"I know. And that's why I'm sorry." Getting up, he smiled before disappearing into the bathroom to clean his injuries. To his satisfaction, he'd come off the best in the fight. _I can't believe he said something like that. To insult Murrue just because she chose me and not him...how could I let that go? I know I promised her, but.._

When he finished up, the sitting room was in darkness. Ruby was nowhere in sight - no surprise, since she loved Murrue almost as much as he did. With a colossal sigh, he collapsed on the sofa. It would be hard to sleep without her...

_Tick, tock. Tick, tock..._

The steady sound of the minutes passing seemed to taunt him. He'd lost track of how long he'd been lying awake...he'd given up trying to sleep. Instead he lay tangled in the blanket, staring blankly at the ceiling, and wondered whether he'd lost her trust. If he had it would take some time to win it back, but he was determined he would - he loved her too much to let her go. Whatever happened, he wanted to keep her with him.

After what seemed like an eternity of darkness, Mwu began to doze, slipping in and out of dreams. In one of those dreams, he felt gentle fingers brushing his face, a comfortably familiar warmth and scent surrounding him. He smiled in his sleep, reaching out to bring that presence closer...not wanting to open his eyes and discover she wasn't there. "I'm sorry..." he mumbled again.

"I know.." In his dreams, she smiled, pulling the blanket around the two of them. "And so am I.." At the soft whisper he prised open his eyes, a smile of delight spreading over his sleepy face.

"What are you sorry for?" he asked, brushing calloused fingers over her hair. Murrue smiled back.

"I just am." With that, she brushed a sweet kiss to his lips and snuggled down beside him. And he felt his spirits soar. She'd forgiven him. He didn't know why, or how, but she had...and that was more than he deserved.

"I love you."

"Love you too. Even if you are an idiot.."

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( yay for randomness XD I couldn't see her being angry with him for long...

please read and review! )


	11. Chapter 11

"This isn't funny. Where are we going?"

He didn't answer, only chuckled, which served to irritate her more. "I'm serious, Mwu. Where are we?" They'd taken this trip together, had been planning it for months - she knew where they were, so why was he doing this? He hummed softly, continuing to walk forward, guiding her with his hands placed over her eyes. And despite her annoyance, she didn't reach up to take his hands away...secretly enjoying it all. "Can I at least have a hint?"

"You'll like it.."

She sighed. "Yes, I probably will. But I'd like it more if I could see where I was going.."

"Patience, sweetheart." He continued to guide her, walking slowly so she didn't stumble, until they reached a place where the breeze blew stronger than before, and he finally removed his hands. And she gasped. She was looking out over a cliff. The sky was a brilliant blue, reflected perfectly in the ocean below. The only sounds to be heard were the crashing of waves upon rocks and the cries of seabirds...it had been many years since she'd been somewhere like this. _Not since I was little... _Turning to Mwu she beamed, almost too happy to speak. He grinned in return and ruffled her hair, then laughed breathlessly as she hugged him tightly. "You're welcome. Worth the trip?"

"Oh yeah.." Sighing in contentment, she snuggled close. "How did you know I wanted to come to the beach?"

"Lucky guess.." A couple of months ago they'd been curled up together on the sofa watching TV when a commercial for tropical holidays had been shown. It had portrayed an expanse of white sand, blue sky, and turquoise ocean - and Murrue's face had lit up. And that had been it.Expensive, yes, but it had been a long time since he himself had been on holiday, and he rather liked the idea of having her all to himself for a while. Kissing her lightly, he took her hand. "Well then, milady, shall we be going?"

The hotel room was small, but clean and comfortable, fresh air blowing through the open window. Clearly delighted, she spun around and flopped onto the bed with another happy sigh, much to his amusement. "What can we do first?"

"Well, I thought we could go to the beach. Some sun and sea air will do you good - put some colour in your face."

Murrue pretended to pout. "I thought you loved me as I am."

"Of course I do. You know that. But," he mused as he sat down on the bed beside her, "you always look so pale. And that cold you caught back in April was a bad one.." She'd been caught in the rain running back home, and had ended up with a chill, missing three days of work tucked up in bed while he took care of her. She had mostly recovered now, but still hadn't regained the colour in her cheeks. And she was always tired. She badly needed this break, as did he. "I want you to get well again."

"I _am_ well, silly," she replied with a kiss. "I've just been working too hard. Now come on, let's get ready."

"It's perfect!" Laughing, she ran onto the white sandy beach, dark hair flying out behind her in the breeze. He hung back and just watched, captivated by the scene. Sure, the setting was stunning, the sea and sand just as they had seen on the commercial, but _she_ was more so. Auburn hair fastened with a red ribbon, white dress reflecting the sun, pale face alight with happiness...it took his breath away. _No, __**she's **__perfect. I knew that the day we met. Like Mom says...I could search forever and never find another like her. That's why I brought her here..._

"C'mon slowcoach!" she called, cupping her hands around her mouth so he was better able to hear her. Running back to where he stood she caught his hand, tugging him onto the beach. "I'll race you to that cafe over there," she announced, pointing ahead to a thatched hut where several other people were gathered. And before he could reply, Murrue had taken off running. Back home she was always tired, falling asleep on the sofa before he could even finish dinner. But here... _She has more energy here than I've ever seen from her...like a little girl. Maybe it's because of the sunlight?_

When he finally caught up to her, she had already bought herself a drink, and grinned wickedly at him over the rim of the glass.

"What took you so long?"

"You didn't give me much chance to catch up," Mwu pointed out, tugging at her ponytail. "C'mon.." The rest of the beach was pretty peaceful, just a few other couples from the hotel dotted here and there on the sand, and he soon found a quiet place to spread out the towels. His girlfriend beamed, shimmying out of her sundress and letting it fall to the sand.

"What do you think?"

He couldn't answer...he was only able to stare. She was clad in a red bikini, the colour and style of the swimsuit showing off her slender body to full effect. She was beautiful...and it seemed as though he wasn't the only one who thought so. Most other men, even those who were with companions of their own were staring in unabashed interest. She noticed the attention and smiled, giving the man beside her a flirtatious wink.

"Is this your bad side?" he managed to ask finally, voice rather hoarse. If it was, it sure was sexy. "Can I see more of it if it is?" She winked again and giggled, clearly enjoying herself. Shaking his head in surprise at the side of her she'd kept hidden for so long, he laid back on the towel. _I get the feeling I could try for years and never learn everything about her. But I'm looking forward to trying..._

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"Thank you for bringing me here.." She knew why he'd done it - his concern as he'd nursed her through her cold had been easy to see. He'd brought her here to recover her health...and it was working. She felt better now than she had in weeks. But it wasn't simply due to the setting. It was also due to him. They'd been together for nine months now, and in that time she'd grown to love him with all her heart. He was a goofy idiot, clumsy at romance, but she had no doubt his feelings were sincere. She saw them now as he smiled.

"You're welcome. I'm glad you like it. Bit different from home, isn't it?"

"Just a bit.." The moon was setting over the sea, turning the waters silver, a far cry from the lighted buildings and trees visible from their apartment window. But both were equally beautiful to her. Getting up from the recliner she sat on, she moved across the little balcony to his, curling up beside him. Mwu chuckled softly, and lifted her to sit in his lap. His warmth was comforting, his murmurs of endearment more so, and she sighed in contentment.

"Miss Grace was happy that you brought me here," she said after a while. "She seemed to think you have something you want to say to me.." His mother had indeed told her that in a conspiratorial whisper, green eyes full of mischief, the day before they had set off for this place. Mwu sighed.

"Can I keep anything secret from her?"

"I doubt it. Was she right?"

He sighed again, this time sounding rather nervous. When he didn't speak she angled her head to look back at him, noting the way his azure eyes were downcast. "Mwu?"

"You're part of my life now," he said softly, though he still wouldn't meet her gaze. "All I have, I want to share with you. Not just the apartment, I mean, Ruby's as much your dog as she is mine. And Mom wants to adopt you.." Murrue giggled. "No, I'm serious. She thinks the world of you."

"She's a lovely person. Though I think I'm past adopting age.."

"Well, she could still be your mom if you wanted her to be. That's what I meant about sharing. We can share Ruby, we can share Mom...we can share everything. If you want.." Reaching into his shirt pocket, he brought out an object that glittered in the moonlight. "What do you think?"

She stared at him, then at the ring, in amazement. "Is this.."

"It's not much - firefighter wages aren't as high as I'd like them to be - but will you accept it?"

Almost without thinking she nodded, blinking back the tears which had somehow formed. He beamed, exhaling a deep breath (he'd clearly been nervous) and carefully slid the ring on her finger.

"How do I thank you for this?"

Murrue smiled. "I should be asking _you_ that." After gazing at the ring for a moment, making the tiny diamond sparkle, she turned around in his arms and kissed him passionately. He chuckled into the exchange, pulling her closer, and placed another kiss to the tip of her nose when they broke.

"That's a nice thank-you..."

"I have a nicer one." She whispered it in his ear, giggling again when he raised an eyebrow.

"Out here?"

"No-one's around. And you _did_ say you wanted to see my bad side. Did you change your mind?"

His answer was another kiss.

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( Couldn't resist it. I know, I could have tried, but meh.

please read and review! )


	12. Chapter 12

Closing her eyes, she held her breath as the material was slipped over her head. She could hear the excited chattering of the other two women in the room, and grinned. How long had they been here now? Two. three hours almost? Miss Grace had called earlier that day and announced they were going shopping for a dress...they must have tried every bridal shop in town. She herself had liked a couple of them, but Miss Grace had put her foot down. Not that she minded the long day so much - the older woman was great company, and she looked forward to getting to know her future mother-in-law better. "How's this one look?"

The woman looked her up and down, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "It's nice. Nicer than the last couple. What do you think?"

Murrue looked down at herself. The gown was simple, cream satin with a round neckline and short train, speckled with tiny crystal beads. Simple, yes, but perfect. Hopping down from the stool she stood in front of the full-length mirror, examining her reflection. "Yes." she announced with a smile. "This is the one."

"Are you sure? You don't want anything fancier?"

"I'm sure. This one's perfect." She twirled around happily, the skirt swirling out around her. Grace watched with a fond smile. She had been quite surprised to hear that Mwu had proposed to his girlfriend - she knew how much he loved Murrue, but he was rather shy about such things. _No, I didn't expect it...but I'm so glad. The two of them are exactly right for each other... _Her son had come out of his shell so much since he'd met the young woman in the park, displaying a sunny cheerfulness she rarely remembered seeing from him. And while it was clear that Murrue was the boss in their relationship, he didn't seem to mind - in fact it looked as though he thrived on it.

"It does suit you. Yes, we'll get that one. Pop it back on the hanger and we can go pay for it when we've found a veil.."

"You could have let me pay for it.."

"Nonsense. Let this be my gift to the two of you. I know you don't want a fuss making, but please let me do this much.." The two of them had planned their wedding very carefully, wanting the ceremony to be as simple as possible - he'd even arranged for it to be held in the tiny chapel in the village he'd grown up in. No honeymoon, just a fortnight off work to spend at home. _Very different from most people...yet somehow just right for them... _"What else do you need to get?"

Murrue frowned a little for a moment, chewing her lower lip. "I already ordered the flowers, Erica's making a cake, Mwu's getting the rings...I think we have everything now.." She beamed happily and twirled around, almost losing her sunhat. Grace grinned. She remembered feeling that way just before her own wedding - if only the marriage itself had gone better. But Murrue's would, she had no doubt of it. _Mwu's been looking for someone like her his whole life. He'll take such good care of her... _

"I'm glad."

"You are?"

The older woman nodded. "He needs you. Look after him, okay?"

Murrue smiled. "I will, I promise.." Sitting down on a bench she stretched out contentedly in the sunlight, rather like a kitten. "It'll be an adventure."

"For all three of you..."

"Huh?"

Grace beamed in a motherly fashion. "I'm right, aren't I? Your appetite's gotten a lot bigger - I saw that the last time Mwu brought you over. And you didn't want wine when I offered it. There's something you haven't told Mwu, isn't there?"

The young woman flushed vivid scarlet and stared at her hands which were twisted together in her lap. "How badly did I hide it?" she asked in a very small voice.

"Very well, actually. If I hadn't been through the same thing, I might not have noticed. Mwu certainly hasn't. But he deserves to be told. How far along are you?"

"Four months. I've only known for a couple of weeks though.."

Grace sighed. "You need to tell him. Don't think you need to worry about his reaction...I can imagine his smile. He's looking forward so much to all of this, and so am I..." She'd begun to give up hope of Mwu ever meeting someone, and certainly had never imagined having a grandchild. Murrue still looked unsure, but squeaked in surprise when the older woman hugged her tightly.

"It's going to be all right.."

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"I'm home!"

Hearing her soft voice he grinned in delight, poking his head around the kitchen door. His fiancee smiled in return, removing the straw sunhat she'd been wearing before making her way over to him and accepting his welcoming hug.

"Did you find a nice outfit?"

"I did," she replied gently, standing up on her tiptoes to kiss him. "Miss Grace bought it for me and took it home until I need it."

Mwu's face fell. "You mean I won't get to see it?"

"You will when I'm wearing it. Patience." She tapped his nose then kissed it, wriggling free of his embrace to greet Ruby. Mwu sighed, rather disappointed. He knew no amount of kisses, tickles or wheedles would make her tell him, and he certainly wouldn't get anything out of his mom - he'd have to wait till the wedding. Not that he minded that much. He'd only have to wait a couple of weeks, and he was sure it would be more than worth it.

"Okay then." Whistling, he fixed himself some juice and headed back into the sitting room, leaving a very confused and surprised Murrue back in the kitchen. She clearly hadn't been expecting him to let it go like that...he could hear her exasperated huff. She was fun to tease, and he looked forward immensely to teasing her for years to come. _I think being married to her will be great fun. The things we can do and see together, the life we can share...I can't wait..._

That evening the two lay together on the sofa, watching the sunset through the open curtains of the sitting room window. Murrue was almost asleep, amber eyes half-closed, but cuddled closer with a happy sigh when he stroked her hair gently.

"What are you dreaming about?"

"Secrets." she replied quietly, nuzzling her face into the crook of his neck. The odd reply confused him, and he lifted her chin up with a finger. She was smiling, the expression radiating loving warmth, and as he gazed at her she shuffled up to kiss him. "I have some. Don't you?"

"A couple," he admitted. "But nothing bad. I did steal penny candy from a store when I was little, but Mom caught me and made me pay back the store owner with my pocket money.." Murrue giggled, shaking her head, and he grinned. "For serious. Okay then, missie, what secrets do _you_ have?"

She told him. The words, whispered in his ear, weren't at all what he'd expected. He'd imagined some childish misdemeanour, or a prank at school...but what he heard... "You're what?"

"Going to have a baby.." she repeated. "In about five months."

He stared at her for a moment, processing her words. _Pregnant? She's pregnant? Four months? Why didn't she tell me? _"Really?"

She nodded, gaze fixed on his T-shirt. He looked up at the ceiling, coming to terms with it all. A baby. She was going to have his baby. Hadn't he dreamt of that? Dreamt of having a family with her? "Boy or girl?"

"Girl." Her voice was barely above a whisper. "I've been for scans.."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I was scared. I didn't know how you'd react. Miss Grace said I had to tell you. I know I couldn't have hidden it forever, but..." She sighed, resting her head on his chest...and all Mwu was able to do was hug her, pressing a kiss to her hair. She'd hidden her condition because she was afraid he wouldn't want the baby?

"You thought I wouldn't want her?"

"I hoped you would...I didn't know how to ask..."

"You idiot."

Murrue blinked. "Huh?"

He chuckled. "Why ever would you think I wouldn't? She'll be so beautiful, especially if she looks like you.."

"Even if she looks like you?" She was smiling again, dark eyes swimming with tears, one of which escaped to trickle down a flushed cheek. He grinned and nodded, ruffling her hair, and laughed breathlessly when she hugged him tightly. _Even if she looks like me. Cause you'll be her mom..._

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( random whee

please read and review! )


	13. Chapter 13

She couldn't sleep. Although it was only early July, the night was still too warm. Her fiance had no such problems and was sound asleep, one arm curled protectively around her stomach. She smiled. Another reason she couldn't sleep. "Settle down.." she whispered. "C'mon.." The answer she got was another flurry of tiny kicks, barely more than flutters, but enough to keep her awake. It had been happening for a couple of days now, the expectant parents delighted by the activity. Mwu especially had been enchanted by it, grinning like an idiot at the feel of his daughter kicking.

"And I'm not even five months along yet. What are you going to be like later?"

Casting a backward look at Mwu, she carefully eased herself free of his embrace and climbed out of bed, rearranging the covers so as not to disturb him. Outside was clear and warm, the moon shining brightly from an indigo sky, and despite her tiredness she smiled, leaning her elbows on the windowsill to watch for a while. She could see all the places she loved from here, the park she and Mwu walked Ruby in, the school where she worked as a teacher (although she'd have to go on maternity leave soon) and the cafe where they had spent their first date.

_How long has it been since then? Ten months? We met that day in the park...and we've never looked back... _Glancing down she patted her stomach, feeling the slight bump under thin fingers. She hadn't been sure about a baby at first - the apartment was only small, and the wages of an elementary school teacher and a firefighter didn't amount to that much. But he'd been so happy when she'd told him, and she'd wanted to be a mother ever since she'd been little. So why fight it? With a last look back at the sleeping man, Murrue tiptoed from the bedroom, taking care not to wake Ruby. A cool drink would help right now, as perhaps would a change of scenery..

The rest of the apartment was dark and quiet, only the ticking of the antique clock on the mantel breaking the silence. Lowering herself to the sofa, she glanced around the sitting room with a gentle smile. This place looked very different to how it had when she'd first visited almost a year ago...there was almost as much of her possessions and furniture now as there was of his. _He welcomed me in to share his house and his life...he says it feels more like home now than it ever did before... _They often curled up on the sofa and talked of the future, of their wedding (which would take place in just a couple of days) and plans for their daughter. They'd decorated the boxroom all ready for her, and Murrue could never resist peeking in there and trying to imagine what it would be like with the baby sleeping in the cot.

"It doesn't feel real.." she murmured. "Like it's happening to someone else.." Quietly she left the sofa, bare feet making no sound at all on the thick rug as she crossed to the nursery door. The tiny room was decked out in lilac and pink, stencilled pictures of animals and birds on the wall, and the dresser in the corner was already stuffed full of baby clothes. Miss Grace was looking forward to the little girl's birth almost as much as Murrue and Mwu themselves, and was forever buying clothes and stuffed toys. _She's set up a nursery in her own spare room - she says that there are going to be days when Mwu and I just want each other to ourselves, and that she'll be more than happy to take care of the little one then.._

"What are you doing awake this early?"

She smiled at the sleepy voice, but didn't turn around, simply closed her eyes and sank back into his arms. He chuckled softly. "She been keeping you up again?"

"She doesn't like to sleep..." Mwu murmured something comforting at that, nuzzling a kiss to her cheek before leading her back to the sofa in the sitting room.

"Why didn't you wake me? I could have sat with you for a while."

She smiled up at him. "I couldn't have done that. You looked so peaceful.." She shuffled closer to kiss him gently then settled down happily in his embrace. The night was still warm...but somehow that didn't seem to matter as much as it had before. As though knowing her father was there, the baby stopped kicking. "She knows its time for sleep now.."

Mwu smiled. "And her mom?"

"If she keeps being held like this, then she'll fall asleep in no time.."

_I woke up because you weren't there. I've gotten so used to you being there beside me that I can't sleep without you... _"You'll have to get a good night tomorrow, or you'll be nodding off in church.."

Eyes closed, Murrue smiled drowsily but didn't speak. It was clear she was almost asleep, so instead of disturbing her further, he kissed the crown of her hair and left her in peace. He himself was tired, but didn't want to sleep. For a little while he'd stay like this with her...and think about their future.

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"Stand still, will you?"

He huffed, angling a look over his shoulder at the closed doors of the chapel he stood in. Ever since he'd got here he'd been oddly nervous and fidgety, worried for no reason he could easily explain. He hadn't seen his bride-to-be since yesterday evening - she'd gone to stay with his mother. _And I wasn't prepared for how much I'd miss her... _The time had dragged, minutes seeming like hours, and not even his favourite movies or TV shows had been enough to keep him occupied. Ruby had been almost as bad, trotting to the front door every few minutes and pawing at it with a whine. It had been all he could do to keep from walking over to his mom's house to see her. _As it was, I called and talked to her for a while. It was hard being able to hear but not see her, but I'm glad I did it, and so was she. All I could say was how much I missed her, and that I loved her..._

"Why are you so jittery?" Justin asked laconically, examining the flower in his buttonhole. "You know she'll be here.."

"Yeah, I know.." She'd promised him twice, both before she left and at the end of the call, that she would be there. All he had to do was wait.

Hearing the doors open, Mwu whirled round, a huge smile lighting his face as he saw her. Murrue was also smiling, the expression radiant, and he was pretty sure that if it hadn't been for the grip her friend had on her arm, she'd have run right down the aisle to him. The simple satin wedding gown clung to her figure, accentuating every curve - she looked incredible. Noticing his avid gaze, she blushed, and didn't meet his gaze at first when she reached the altar.

"Quit staring at me.."

"How do you expect me not to? You look amazing.." She reddened further but smiled again, picking at her dress shyly.

"Thank you.."

He took her hand, twining his fingers with hers and squeezed gently. "Ready?" At her nod, he grinned and kissed her hand before turning to face the minister. A family of his own...it had been just him and his mother since he'd been ten years old. But now...

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"Thank you.."

"For what? Today?" She stretched out lazily on the bed, attention focused on the silver band on her left hand. "You're the one who proposed.."

"True, but you accepted. So, thank you." He climbed onto the bed beside her, patting her stomach gently. "How's she been today?"

"She kicked all the way through the service."

Mwu chuckled. "She knew it was special, huh? Knew Mommy and Daddy were getting married? She's a smart girl."

His new wife smiled and shuffled closer to him, resting her head on his lap. She looked tired but happy, amber eyes soft, and sighed when he stroked her hair. "Been a long day, huh princess?"

"Mmm-hmm..."

He watched her for a while, azure eyes focused on her peaceful face. She was curled into the covers, that same sweet smile to her lips...he couldn't help but wonder whether she was dreaming of their daughter. Mom had told him that life would never be the same once she was born. _And I can't wait. I want to meet her, to hold her in my arms...I think being a dad will be great fun..._

"Not the most traditional wedding night...but maybe it's perfect the way it is.." Leaning down, he kissed his sleeping wife gently. "Sweet dreams, Mrs La Fllaga.."

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( Randomest chapter ever lol

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	14. Chapter 14

After the warmth of early July, the weather had cooled, bringing with it overcast skies and rain until the middle of August. Now it was well into October and autumn showed no sign of emerging. The weather was perfect, a hot sun shining from a cloudless blue sky, a light breeze taking the edge off the heat. The shade of the trees provided further respite, and he stood under this now, a gentle smile to his face as he gazed at the one he'd come to find. She was sitting on the bench she had been the day he'd first met her, reading now as she had been then, but there were a few differences between now and a year ago.

_I think she's more beautiful... _The breeze blew a lock of dark hair in her face and she smiled, pushing it aside with her left hand. The silver wedding band on the third finger flashed as it caught the sunlight, the twinkle causing the dog that lay on the grass beside the bench to glance up with a sleepy whine.

"It's okay," the woman said, leaning down with an effort to ruffle the dog's fur. "I'm fine.." The dog didn't look convinced, but lay back down, brown eyes flicking up to the woman every so often. Mwu grinned. Ruby seemed to know something about his wife was different now, and followed her everywhere, curling up at her feet whenever she sat down - she wanted to keep her safe. It had begun the very day Murrue had finished work. _That dog's really smart. She knew Murrue wasn't supposed to be home then...she knows something's changed. _On the bench, the young woman sighed, setting aside her book and closing her eyes. One small hand moved to rest on her rounded stomach, rubbing it tenderly as the one inside apparently kicked. Just a couple of weeks left till the birth - a fact that made Mwu and his mother Grace rather nervous. _Mom says she almost has kittens every time the phone rings. Since she's retired now she's volunteered to be on point and drive Murrue to the hospital if I'm at work... _But like Mwu himself she was very much looking forward to the baby's arrival.

As though she knew he was thinking about her, Murrue looked up, smiling happily when she saw him standing there. "Were you looking for me? Sorry, it was such a nice day I decided to come and sit out here..."

"I figured," he replied, walking to sit down beside her. "You feeling all right today?"

"She's a bit restless. I think she's tired of waiting.." The soft words alarmed him, and he glanced up at her tired face.

"Really?"

Murrue giggled, reaching out to ruffle his hair. "Don't panic. It's not like she's going to be born right this minute. She's just kicking a lot, that's all. I bet we won't be able to keep up with her..." She winced, rubbing her stomach again. "Settle down, sweetie.."

"Are you sure you're all right?"

She smiled. "I'm fine."

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Back at the apartment, he helped her settle onto the sofa, pressing a glass of cool orange juice into her hands and a kiss to her forehead. "Take it easy, okay? Get comfortable and let me do everything."

She nodded, though in reality she felt far from comfortable. She'd woken up early that morning with terrible backache, which had only grown worse as the day had passed, and her baby was doing her level best to kick her way out. With a sigh, Murrue placed a hand on her swollen stomach, willing the infant to be still. _It's going to happen soon, I know. If not today, then tonight or tomorrow. I can't tell him...he's nervous enough as it is..._ Taking a sip of the juice she shuffled a bit to try and ease the pain. It would be best to keep calm, both for her and her little girl. And for Mwu... She smiled. And for him too.

"Which one of us do you think she'll look like the most?"

He grinned, flopping down beside her on the sofa and resting his head on her lap. "I hope she looks just like you. She'll be beautiful.."

"What if she looks like you?" she asked softly, brushing aside blonde curls from his face. "I think she'll be beautiful if she does.."

He actually blushed, pinking ever so slightly before glancing away with a pleased smile, and she giggled, leaning down with an effort to kiss the tip of his nose. She'd never seen him blush before...it was cute. _I think he'll be happy whichever one of us she looks like. He's looking forward so much to meeting her... _Which, if the cramps and twinges she was experiencing were anything to go by, would be pretty soon. Closing her eyes, Murrue leaned back against the sofa. The little one had stopped kicking now, which was a relief, but the twinges kept happening - and they were getting worse. One particularly sharp one caused a gasp, but she managed to convince her startled husband it had been a sigh.

_Contractions, _she realised belatedly. _These are contractions. That's what the backache meant, and why she was kicking. She knows it's time... _"Mwu?"

"Mmmm?"

"I think we should go to the hospital now.."

He sat bolt upright, azure eyes wide in shock. "You mean..." He stared at her for a moment, taking in the way she held her stomach, at the beads of sweat at her hairline. "Oh God. Why didn't you say anything before?"

"I thought it was cramps," she admitted. "That and backache. I guess I was wrong. I..." She gasped, squeezing her eyes closed as a spasm hit, this one far worse than any previously. Mwu went fairly pale, and jumped up off the sofa, running a hand through thick blonde hair as though searching for answers. And despite her pain, she smiled. "It's all right. Just call Miss Grace. And maybe an ambulance.."

A sheepish grin. "Right.."

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"Wow..."

White-faced and clearly exhausted, Murrue smiled, leaning back into the pillows. After that first real contraction things had moved quite rapidly, so rapidly in fact it had scared both Mwu and Ruby. The paramedics had arrived just in time. _She gave birth in the ambulance halfway to the hospital. Mom told me it could take hours...I didn't expect it to be so fast..._ "Sorry for panicking.."

"I thought you would," his wife replied softly, gazing down at the bundle in her arms. Their daughter was sound asleep, one tiny hand curled around the blanket she was swaddled in. He'd held her in the ambulance, stared at her hardly believing she was real...she was so beautiful. Dark hair and pale skin like her mother's, but blue eyes like his own, everything he'd wished for.

"Mom's going to love her.."

"Chloe."

"Huh?"

Murrue beamed. "Chloe. That's her name."

"Chloe.." Testing the name out, Mwu repeated it a few times, then grinned. "Chloe. Chloe Elizabeth. That's Mom's middle name. Sound okay?"

She nodded, kissing the sleeping Chloe tenderly. "It sounds perfect." She touched her nose to the baby's, murmuring words Mwu couldn't make out, but each sounded full of love. _She's loved her from the minute she found out about her, and so have I. All that was missing was her, and nowwe get to find out what our lives will be like..._

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( hehehehehehe

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	15. Chapter 15

Peeking into the room, he wasn't at all surprised to see that she was awake. She stood rather unsteadily, tiny hands curled around the wooden frame, and smiled when she saw him, displaying all three of her teeth. He couldn't help smiling back, creeping into the room to duck a kiss to rumpled auburn curls. "Morning, princess.." She giggled at the gentle touch and raised her arms.

"Up?" she chirped hopefully.

"Okay." Pretending to strain with the effort, he swept her up into his arms. "Best get you all changed, huh? Then we can make breakfast for Mommy.."

Once the little girl had been changed and dressed he carried her into the kitchen and set her in the high chair. She beamed and banged her spoon on the plastic tray, no doubt hoping for her own breakfast, and he couldn't help but laugh, leaning on the counter to watch her. _It's hard to believe she's a year old today. It feels like five minutes since I first held her - she was so tiny then. Where did the time go? _"When did you get so big?"

If Chloe knew, she wasn't saying. Instead she just giggled. She was a beautiful little thing, with wide blue eyes and rosy cheeks framed by dark brown curls - both he and her grandmother were sure she'd be the image of her mom when she grew up. Murrue herself wasn't convinced, telling them both to quit teasing. "But we're right, aren't we? Are you going to look just like Mommy when you get bigger?" He tickled Chloe's bare feet, making the baby giggle and squeal. "But you have to eat all your breakfast if you're going to grow up big and strong. Okay?"

"Kay!"

She awoke to the sound of laughter. Yawning she rubbed her eyes and sat up, glancing around the room. The covers on his side of the bed were rumpled, though the sheets were warm - he hadn't been up long, and she had a pretty good idea where he'd be. _When she gets older, he's staying in bed whether he wants to or not... _"I'll have to lock him in.." From the foot of the bed was a sleepy whine, and a moment later a pair of brown eyes peeked over the comforter. She smiled and flopped onto her stomach on the bed, reaching out to ruffle black and white fur. "Did I wake you up?"

Ruby's answer was to lick her hand, plumy tail wagging so hard it thumped against the side of the bed. Getting up, the little dog trotted to the door and pawed at it, looking back up at Murrue as if to say 'well, come on then'. The young woman smiled and climbed off the bed, adjusting her pyjamas before peeking out of the door. Her husband was sitting on the rug in the sitting room with Chloe in his arms, playing tickle games with her toes. He didn't notice her at first, but their daughter did.

"Mama!" She wriggled out of her father's grasp and toddled unsteadily over to the door, only to almost get knocked down by Ruby, who bounded out of the room and licked her face frantically before running off to greet Mwu. Murrue smiled and bent to sweep her little girl into her arms and hug her close.

"Good morning, sweetheart. Happy birthday!"

Chloe didn't know what a birthday was, but she smiled anyway, reaching to pat her mother's face with a chubby hand. She loved hugs and kisses, of which she got plenty from everyone. _If she's being spoiled by anything, it's love. We can't give her much in the way of material possessions, but we can give her this... _"You want to see Grandma today?" That question brought another happy smile, which she'd expected. The little girl loved her grandmother, spending most weekends over at her house (which gave the often tired parents some much needed rest). "She'll be waiting at the park for us."

"Does that mean I have to get dressed?" Mwu grumbled from where he was slumped against the sofa.

"Yes dear, it does." Setting Chloe back down she watched as the toddler immediately ran off to find Ruby, and smiled, walking across to sit beside her husband. "Miss Grace will be waiting for us.."

"But we both managed to get the day off work. I wanted to enjoy it.."

Murrue flicked his ear. "We'd still have had to walk Ruby, wouldn't we? Don't fuss." To stop him pouting she kissed him, giggling when he pulled her into his lap.

"We can enjoy ourselves later.."

* * *

The autumn air was crisp and clear, the sun shining through the trees. Fallen leaves crunched underfoot as the little family walked through the park. Chloe was carried by her father in one arm, wide azure eyes staring all around. The park was one of her favourite places - she had even taken her first steps on the grass here. During the summer they'd spent as much time as possible here in the fresh air and sunlight to help their daughter get stronger, and to their satisfaction it seemed to have worked. Murrue smiled and took a deep breath of the cool air, glancing to the side as Mwu squeezed her hand. He grinned in return, the expression as always taking her breath away. Her smile becoming slightly rueful she pressed a hand to her chest, feeling how her heart was racing. _Two years since we met, and he still has this effect on me..._

"Ah!" Chloe wriggled in Mwu's embrace, tiny arm pointing as she saw her grandmother sitting on the bench in the clearing. He chuckled, keeping tight hold of her.

"Hold on a minute, princess. Got to get your shoes fastened." Murrue tightened the buckle on the little girl's new red shoes (a birthday present) and her father set her down, grinning as she ran toward Grace as fast as her little legs could carry her. The woman smiled and scooped her up to sit on her lap.

"Happy birthday, darling.." She handed the toddler a wrapped package, laughing as Chloe tore the paper off with squeals of delight. It turned out to be a pink teddy bear almost as big as the girl herself, and Chloe stared at it in fascination. Her mother giggled and knelt beside the bench, ruffling the little girl's hair. She had plenty of plush toys in her little room, mostly from Grace, although Erica had given a few as well. _Erica loves her, although she was rather jealous when she was born - she'd always wanted a daughter..._

They spent hours in the park, the three adults sitting together on the bench watching Chloe and Ruby play. The dog seemed to think of the little girl as her own puppy, keeping close to her and herding her away from anything that might be dangerous.

"She's grown so much.."

Mwu smiled at his mother's remark. "I was thinking the same thing this morning.." He remembered bathing the newborn Chloe, marvelling at how something so tiny could be so perfect. _I could hold her in both hands then - now she's too big to fit in the baby bath... _"She'll be climbing out of her cot soon."

"Don't." sighed Murrue, shaking her head. "That's the only time she sits still..."

He chuckled, glancing up when his little girl caught hold of his trouser leg. "What is it, sweetie?"

"Daddy play?"

"Okay, monster." Jumping off the bench he swept Chloe up to sit on his shoulders and charged off across the park, the toddler's shrieks of delight mixing with Ruby's barks. Grace smiled and leaned back on the bench, sneaking a glance at her daughter-in-law. Murrue looked tired, as was to be expected with caring for such a young child, but also happy. The older woman had seen the way both her son and Murrue looked at each other when they'd been walking here, and was pleased. _The last time he came over by himself, he told me how happy he was that he'd met her. That he loved her more than anyone. _

"You look as though this life suits you.."

"It does." Murrue replied softly, gazing down at her hands folded in her lap. "A lot of people have asked why I chose it. I could have worked my way up to be principal of that school, bought a bigger house - done anything I wanted. But this...this _is_ what I want. A better job, a bigger house...they don't matter." She pointed ahead to where Mwu was swinging Chloe around in the air. "_They_ matter."

Grace beamed. In truth she too had been surprised when Murrue had moved out of her house to live in the little apartment with Mwu. But if you loved someone, then anywhere you lived with that person was home, no matter how small. "He's lucky to have you."

The younger woman blushed but smiled. "And here I thought _I _was the lucky one.."

* * *

"Is the monster still asleep?"

She nodded, tiptoeing out of the nursery and closing the door. "She hasn't moved since we put her down. She must have been running on fumes.." They'd gotten home several hours ago, and Chloe had barely taken more than a few mouthfuls of the chocolate birthday cake her mother had made before she fell fast asleep in her high chair.

"Can we share the cake then?"

She giggled, letting him take her hand and tug her down to sit on his lap. "We should leave a little slice for her though. It is _her_ cake.."

"If you say so.." Casually he pushed aside her hair to press tiny kisses to her neck. "Tell you what, I'll make you a deal. The princess can have her cake...if I can have her mom. Sound fair?"

Murrue smiled, closing her eyes in bliss as he began to skim his fingers across her stomach through the thin fabric of her T-shirt. "I think we could work something out.." He chuckled softly, working his way up from her neck to her mouth and capturing it with a passionate kiss, which she happily returned.

The next she knew she was gazing up at his smiling face, noting with some surprise that they were in their room now. Mwu laughed gently, ducking down to press a kiss to the tip of her nose. "Hi there.."

"Hi yourself. That better than cake?"

"I'd say so.." Stretching out he lay down beside her, tucking his head into the crook of her neck, and sighed in contentment when she began to stroke his hair. Rather drowsy now she smiled, watching him as he drifted off to sleep. They were more tired now than they had been before, both work and caring for their daughter leaving less time for each other. But still... _It doesn't matter. None of that changes how I feel about him, and it never will. Not being able to be with him as much only makes the time we do have more special..._

Secure in those thoughts she settled down in her husband's arms, still smiling as she fell asleep.

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( fluffy mess lol

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